Ireland set for glamour friendly with Germany in summer
WE'RE GOING TO GERMANY: Ireland will be in Germany this June after all, as they are being lined up to be the hosts’ final warm-up opposition for the Euros. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Ireland will be in Germany this June after all, as they are being lined up to be the hosts’ final warm-up opposition for the Euros.
Three qualifiers for the showpiece, Belgium and Switzerland in late March, as well as Hungary at home in early June, are confirmed for friendlies but Ireland’s most prestigious opponent is being left until last.
Although preparations for Germany’s first Euros hosting since 1988 have been predictably impeccable, their team haven’t been as efficient.
The series of friendlies they favoured over operating in a qualifying group as a non-competitive team were underwhelming and five winless matches convinced the DFB to sack Hansi Flick in September.
Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann was then entrusted with moulding a team capable of dealing with the pressure of expectations this summer but, despite opening with a win over USA, they then drew with Mexico and lost the November double-header against Turkey and Austria.
The fixture, likely to be on June 7 or 8, will be the first friendly meeting between the nations for 30 years.
Goals by Tony Cascarino and Gary Kelly led Jack Charlton’s side to a famous 2-0 win over a German team also heading to the World Cup in USA '94 a week later but as defending champions.
Hanover staged that game and they’re again in the running for this fixture. UEFA regulations debar all of the 10 tournament stadia being used from being during the immediate build-up but the country possesses an abundance of suitable alternatives.
The Niedersachsenstadion, known by its current sponsored title of Heinz Von Heiden, has a capacity of 49,000 but smaller venues such as Bremen (42,000) and Dresden (32,000) are also possible.
It’s understood Germany sought an opponent similar in style to Scotland, whom they open the tournament against in Stuttgart on Friday, June 14. The three-times winners complete Group A by facing Hungary and Switzerland.
The trip snaps a cycle of four straight home games for Ireland, starting with Stephen's Kenny's swansong against New Zealand last November. Italy were in the discussion for a friendly but it seems the offer from the Germans has taken priority.
The FAI are still hunting a successor to Kenny, whose contract wasn’t renewed after another failed qualification campaign.
Their target date of Thursday’s draw for the Nations League in Paris is likely to be unsuccessful but a final decision from No 1 target Lee Carsley following further negotiations in recent days is thought to be close.
New Chairman Tony Keohane last Tuesday emerged from an update to the board by Director of Football Marc Canham predicting the vacancy to be filled in the 'not-too-distant-future'.
