Irish stars look to stay among elite

What team do the Republic of Ireland want to be relegated?

Sat, 26 Apr, 2014 - 01:00

Miguel Delaney

After a season of struggle on the pitch, Niall Quinn also struggled to put his emotion into words off it. That was understandable, given he had just suffered the first relegation of his career.

“You know, when you’re getting into football, everyone tells you about the good days,” Quinn sighed. “No one tells you about the days like this.”

The sad reality for Irish football is that, since that relegation for Manchester City in 1995-96, a conspicuously bigger proportion of the country’s players have become all too familiar with such days.

Eighteen years ago, Quinn and club team-mate Alan Kernaghan were the only two senior players eligible for Mick McCarthy’s squad to endure relegation from the Premier League. For the next five seasons, that figure would never get above five. For the last five, however, the average has been seven. Last season, 10 Irish players went down, the highest since the English top flight was re-branded in 1992-93.

It is a reflection of both the increased global influence on the Premier League, as well as the reduced status and quality of many Irish players. These days, the FAI’s manager is likelier to be looking towards the bottom of the table rather than the top to gauge the form of his players. It is all the more imperative that more players stay at higher level.

In that context, it’s fair to ask what would actually suit Martin O’Neill best in this campaign’s relegation battle. The negatives of Ireland’s better players playing at a worse level barely need to be pointed out. It can also serve as something of a psychological effect. One story goes that, ahead of a recent qualification game, the opposition squad travelling to Dublin were going through the Irish team and became genuinely struck by the amount of Premier League players in it.

As it stands, there are currently 10 Irish players involved in this season’s relegation scrap, with at least one at each of the six bottom-placed clubs. That number would rise to 15 players if Hull City are dragged in, but that still looks unlikely.

At the least, two of the clubs right now likeliest to go down would suit O’Neill more than others.

One of them, Cardiff City, only have 22-year-old forward Joe Mason from the available Irish pool of players. He has already spent much of the season in the Championship on loan at Bolton Wanderers, so it would not affect him too much, and may even be of benefit to his career given the potential for comings and goings at the Welsh club.

Another, Fulham, only have Damien Duff, who has already retired from international football and is set to leave Craven Cottage anyway. As such, it would not be a surprise if O’Neill wasn’t exactly too bothered about either of those going down. Thereafter, it gets a little more complicated. With Steven Reid now not really an option for the Irish set-up, West Brom’s relegation would not be too damaging, but Pepe Mel’s side look to just have enough to stay up.

The Hawthorns side certainly have a superior recent points-per-game record than both Norwich City and Aston Villa, while Sunderland are still at the bottom albeit on something of an upward surge after their claiming four points off Manchester City and Chelsea.

All of them have at least two Irish players: Keiren Westwood and John O’Shea at Sunderland; Anthony Pilkington and Wes Hoolahan at Norwich City; Ciarán Clark, Shay Given and Samir Carruthers at Aston Villa.

Given the status and career stage of Hoolahan and Pilkington, it would probably be worst for Ireland if Norwich went down, but they currently appear to be in free fall and face the worst remaining fixtures. As one of Ireland’s most senior and influential stars, meanwhile, O’Shea also needs to stay in the division.

At the same time, the unexpected consequences of relegation should not be discounted. At Sunderland, Vito Mannone’s much-publicised form could mean he wants to leave for a Premier League side, meaning potentially more football for Keiren Westwood. Likewise, despite difficult individual seasons, the attractions of Hoolahan and Pilkington to higher-positioned clubs are clear.

For 10 players themselves, however, the next few weeks are going to be anything but clear.

Verdict: Cardiff City, Fulham, West Brom

Irish players relegated per season

2012-13: 10

2011-12: 7

2010-11: 7

2009-10: 9

2008-09: 3

2007-08: 6

2006-07: 7

2005-06: 8

2004-05: 2