Ward is relishing platform to redemption

The onset of a new campaign under new management inevitably carries with it standard phraseology such as clean slate and fresh start but, in Stephen Ward’s case at least, there is a genuine feeling of leaving behind woes of the recent past.

Ward skyrocketed and crashed in the Giovanni Trapattoni era – parachuted into the left-back position in late 2011, playing at Euro 2012 before being discarded four months later.

It’s for that reason the platform for redemption, in the shape of this double-header against Latvia and Poland, is one he’s planning to maximise.