Darren Randolph is raising the standard

There is a theory that playing for England isn’t the draw it used to be, given the pressure that comes with it, and the ever-increasing rewards that are now the norm at the higher end of the club game, but there are no signs of it gaining currency on this side of the water.

Speak to any Republic of Ireland player in camp this week and the talk is of a happy and committed collective. It’s been that way more often than not for 30 years now and it probably hasn’t been hindered by the sense that wearing the green jersey can be good for a man’s career.

Many has been the Irish player who has flown into Dublin short on game time and long on motivation. Darren Randolph was that soldier for long enough but it was the week after an impressive performance against Austria last November he finally got his big break with West Ham.