Sammon takes leap of faith
First there was Newcastle United’s Rob Elliot missing out on his stag do in order to make his international debut against Turkey and then, after his wedding this Saturday, postponing his honeymoon so he can be available again for next week’s trip to the United States.
And now it’s the turn of Conor Sammon to explain how football has intervened to complicate his own best-laid plans.
The Derby County striker will marry his Scottish fiance Caroline, who he met when he was playing for Kilmarnock, in Ravello on Italy’s Amalfi Coast on Saturday week but, like Elliot, Sammon has been forced to abandon his own involvement in the traditional pre-nuptials so that he can be available for selection for this weekend’s game against Italy in London.
“I’m missing my stag party this weekend,” he reveals. “I was going to have it in Galway. I sent out an email to a few of the boys saying I would reimburse them if they booked hotels and stuff. I’m waiting to hear if they are going ahead with it. It seems to be the new thing, have a stag do without the groom being there!”
The pay-off for Sammon, who initially broke into the Ireland squad under Giovanni Trapattoni, is that he is now getting the chance to impress Martin O’Neill for the first time.
“Yeah, it’s a massive opportunity because it is one that I didn’t expect with not playing as much last season,” he says. “I also wasn’t in the last squad and I didn’t expect to be in this squad either, so from my point of view I was delighted to see my name in it and to get a chance to link up with the new manager and the new coaching staff.”
That glass half full outlook has certainly stood to the 27-year-old Dubliner, given his route to the top has been anything but straightforward.
“When I look at the avenue I’ve taken,” he reflects, “doing my Leaving Cert and playing League Of Ireland as opposed to going abroad when I was 15, 16. I’ve worked a full-time job, I’ve worked in the bank, I’ve juggled part-time football with UCD and then moved to Derry City.
“It’s a bit hard to say I appreciate it more but definitely it has toughened me and made me more determined to make things happen for myself — to work extra hard in any area I can, in the gym, strength work, making sure I’m as fit and as strong as I can be so I can test myself against the top teams and top players.”
But first, he reckons the test will be against his own squad mates. Because, although he acknowledges that, throughout his management career, O’Neill has often favoured a big target man up front, Sammon reckons there is no shortage of candidates for the role in the Irish ranks.
“We do have some lads here already in that position,” he notes, “big Daryl Murphy, Shane Long is a real physical presence, as is Kevin Doyle.
“There is so much competition, but it is good to test yourself for a position against so many good strikers.”
And good too to have an international game to focus on so soon after the disappointment of watching helplessly from the bench at Wembley, as his Derby County team-mates were caught by a QPR sucker punch in the Championship play-off at Wembley on Saturday — “such a cruel ending to a great season for us,” he says.
But, on a personal note, it was also a frustrating season.
“With the system the new gaffer [Steve McClaren] plays, he plays with one striker and in fairness to Chris Martin he’s had a fantastic season and done really well and made it very difficult for me to get an opportunity,” Sammon observes. “I kept my head down and kept kind of hoping that a chance would come but unfortunately it didn’t.
“I want to play games and I’ll speak to the club and see what plans they have for next season and for myself.
“I’ve got a contract at Derby for two seasons. But there comes a time when you have to look at the bigger picture and, from my point of view, if I want to stay involved with the international team, it’s crucial I play games and score goals.”
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