North relishes ‘dream team’ visit

Appointing Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane as the Republic of Ireland’s new management team is the exact type of boost the Airtricity League needed.

With the pair expected to attend league games and take a close look at the talent on show on Friday nights, Sligo Rovers striker Danny North reckons it is the link that has been missing.

Under Giovanni Trapattoni, the domestic game was paid ill service, with the Italian twice stating ‘there is no league in Ireland’ and his token visits to league grounds didn’t even reach double figures.

However, that is all about to change with O’Neill and Keane, who signed Roy O’Donovan and David Meyler from Cork City when in charge of Sunderland, taking a more proactive approach.

“It will give everyone a lift if you see the national manager and the assistant manager at games. That can only be a good thing and it’s the way it should be,” said North, the Airtricity/SWAI Player of the Month for November.

“I know Trapattoni went to one or two games, but he didn’t have a link with the country at all and he still struggled to speak English after about four or five years.”

Once they do turn up to grounds like Turner’s Cross, North thinks the Irish pair will spot plenty of players who could be worthy of a national team call-up.

“There are players in our league who are better than one or two who have been playing for Ireland. So why not give them a chance?”