Floating role for Hoolahan as Trap opts to experiment
Not that Trapattoni is ready to ditch Robbie Keane any time soon. Once again stressing the player’s experience and unrivalled goal record, he even suggested that Keane could play in the deeper role against the Swedes.
“We must also think of (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic and where he plays behind the striker,” said the manager. “So we will reflect on all that after this game.”
In the meantime, in the Cardiff City Stadium tonight, Norwich playmaker Hoolahan gets another chance to drive home his claim to a permanent place in the side.
On paper, at least, he will be part of a strong Irish line-up. No less than 10 of the starting 11 are Premier League players at the onset of the new season, the glaring irony being that the sole exception — James McCarthy of relegated Wigan — has been the Irish player most hotly tipped for a move to one of the top English sides in recent times.
Even tonight’s captain John O’Shea was still coming to terms with the provenance of the squad yesterday, talking initially about how Ireland’s Championship players would have the benefit of more game time under their belts going into tonight’s match before suddenly acknowledging with a laugh that this was hardly relevant in terms of the make-up of the team that will actually take the pitch.
One notable absentee, however, is James McCarthy’s new club-mate James McClean, Trapattoni springing a bit of a surprise by opting for Hull City’s Robbie Brady from the off.
“We are playing with only one striker and I think Brady is a more creative player,” said the manager. “With Long, Walters and Hoolahan too, I think we can we can have an attacking threat. We also can have one more in midfield — Wes can work in there. And don’t forget he can score a goal too. But I will authorise changes too and, sure, we have the possibility of McClean coming on during the game.”
Skipper O’Shea knows Brady well from their Old Trafford days together and reckons the Dublin winger is really coming into his own now.
“He always had the exuberance of a real confident player but that comes even more with starting in a first team,” he said “Robbie was only getting small tastes at United, but he’s getting the full flavour now at Hull and can be a big player for us in the future and also in the Premier League.”
Confirming he will assess tonight’s performance with a view to perhaps going 4-4-1-1 against Sweden, Trapattoni said that, “it’s possible to do this with Wes”.
And the extent to which the Dubliner has refreshed the Irish team is not lost either on O’Shea who, having learned to his amusement only yesterday that Hoolahan’s confirmation name is Cantona, was asked if he would regard the former Shels schemer as an atypical Irish footballer.
“His confirmation name certainly is,” he chuckled. “He’s obviously developed internationally later on in his career and it’s been a bonus for us. Hopefully, he’s going to play a vital part for us coming to the latter stages of qualification. There’s been a fair supply line of defenders, full-backs and so on but we need to keep producing more creative players and goal scorers as well.
“Playing against Wes, as a taller player I’ve found him a bit of a nightmare, because of his creativity. And he’s a tough little bugger as well, he’s not afraid to take a few knocks. That what’s you need in that situation and he’s fully aware of it because, in the Premier League, he could have a big 6ft-plus centre-back fairly close to him fairly rapidly when he does get in those pockets behind the opposition’s midfield four.
“And I think that’s what the manager will be looking for from him against Wales — support Shane as much as he can, help out the midfield but, most importantly, find those little pockets to supply Shane, Robbie Brady and Jonathan Walters. And, obviously, he’s well able to score a goal as well.”
O’Shea described Gareth Bale’s failure to make tonight’s game as “a bonus for us but a disappointment for the Welsh team and the fans”, while Trapattoni also lamented the absence of the Welsh wizard, saying that while he understood the importance of the player resolving his club situation, he regards him as one of the rare breed of footballer entertainers who “belongs to everyone”.
Finally, while much of the attention this evening will again be on Ireland’s relative newcomers, this friendly against Wales also represents a milestone for Glenn Whelan as he hits the half-century mark of caps.
“Glenn is an unsung hero,” said John O’Shea, “but, believe me, the players appreciate having him when you’re going into tough battles.”
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