Roberto Martinez: 'Coleman's leadership skills made him captain material from day one'
Seamus Coleman during a training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
In Ireland’s second chance to plot a World Cup qualification path, Bruno Fernandes is wary of their strength from second balls.
Portugal trailed to Ireland in Faro four years ago until the final minute when Cristiano Ronaldo engineered an epic comeback to win 2-1.
Another World Cup campaign and another meeting on Portuguese soil is still dominated by a narrative of the chasm between the depth of quality between the squads.
Fernandes didn’t downplay that reality when asked to identify the threat Ireland pose to their flawless record to date in the campaign.
The platitudes extended only to stereotypes Irish football has been subjected to since the heady Jack Charlton era.
“I know many of Ireland’s players,” said the Manchester United playmaker.
“Defensively, they are very strong and physical.
“It is a team that is very direct and we need to be very aware of winning our duels and also of the second balls.
“They are very good at winning them, leading to chances “We know that set-pieces are a big part of their game and we are very aware of the qualities of their players.
“We need to give them no space and at the same time we need to play our game and try to command the game.”
Fernandes, at 31, is the same age as Bernardo Silva. Both are still a long way off Ronaldo at 40 but the feeling exists that next year’s tournament is the opportunity for this generation to peak by claiming a first World Cup.
Roberto Martinez was respectful not to be presumptuous but did touch on the objective when asked about an emotional evening in Lisbon for the first home game since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota in the summer.
“For us, it is something that out of a tragedy we are very much now on a mission,” said the former Everton and Wigan Athletic manager.
“The dream of Diogo was to win the World Cup.
“And for us it is the responsibility to try to carry on that dream with his standards, with what he was bringing to the national team.
“He will be our strength and he will be our guidance for the rest of the history of this national team. He is part of this family forever.”
Martinez also has a paternal instinct about Séamus Coleman from their time working together at Everton. The model professional is constantly namechecked by managers as an exemplar for budding talent to emulate.
“How long have you got?,” the Spaniard said when asked for his memories of the Donegalman.
“I could speak for hours about Séamus. I loved working with him.
“Those leadership skills made him captain material from day one.
“In that 2013 season, the best right back in the Premier League by a mile, in my opinion.
“He is somebody with this incredible capacity to arrive in the final third while also defending one-on-one situations.
“He was really demanding, somebody that you can see his evolution during the season. I have been very proud of seeing his career.
“To see him still at Everton, still an important part of a Premier League club and then now still being in the Irish camp, is brilliant. I look forward to chatting with him.”
D Costa (Porto); D Dalot (Manchester United), R Dias (Manchester City), R Neves (Al-Hilal), N Mendes (PSG); J Paulinha (Tottenham), Vitinha (PSG); B Silva (Manchester City), B Fernandes (Manchester United), P Neto (Chelsea); C Ronaldo (Al-Nassr).
C Kelleher (Brentford); S Coleman (Everton), J O’Brien (Everton), D O’Shea (Ipswich Town), R Manning (Southampton); N Collins (Brentford), J Cullen (Burnley); C Ogbene (Ipswich Town), F Azaz (Southampton), M Johnston (West Bromwich Albion); E Ferguson (AS Roma).
Ivan Kruzlak (Slovakia).
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