When Hendrick met hero Robbie

There are many ways you could attempt to illustrate the difference between three caps and 125 caps but Jeff Hendrick’s version is definitely more colourful than most, something not lost on the man himself as he shakes his head and tells the tale.

“I remember World Cup 2002 and I had my face painted,” the 21-year-old Dubliner recalls. “I was ten and there was Robbie Keane scoring goals in Japan. And then, before the recent game in Sweden, I was sitting beside him at dinner. He hadn’t been in the Poland squad – which was my first — and I’d never met him before. So this was the first time he talked to me and I was a bit nervous. I didn’t know what way to answer him. Then I go into training the next day and he’s there on the pitch. I couldn’t get over that, it’s a bit crazy. I’ve got to know him a bit better now. He helps a lot in training and talks to you and helps you with your game. He’s good to have around.”

As indeed is the young Derby County midfielder who, even on the limited evidence of a couple of cameos for his country, has looked the real deal, not least when his quality shone through in the intelligent way he set up goals for Wes Hoolahan against Poland and for his one-time idol Mr Keane against Georgia.