YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN Limerick, Joe Schmidt, Less Kiss, Simon Easterby, Greg Feek and Richie Murphy sat down for their latest World Cup squad selection meeting.
The Irish coaching team have been undertaking these conferences for some time now and the process will continue throughout the summer and right up to the deadline of 31 August, when they’ll have to name their finalised 31-man group.
Indeed, Schmidt and his lieutenants sat down again early this morning to sift through last night’s defeat to the Barbarians and ascertain whether they’d learned anything of real value.
It’s certainly no easy task, and countless coaches over the years have spoken of the difficulties of whittling down the names, deciding how many of each position they need to bring, who the versatile options are, how many specialists out-halves they require…
The list goes on.
Despite his winning experience and reputation, Schmidt admits that the process is proving as difficult for him as it has been for any other international coach. Ultimately, he makes the final call and the Kiwi is aware that his inexperience in this task might lead to mistakes.
First up, Schmidt will name an extended squad for the summer training and World Cup warm-up schedule, likely to contain somewhere in the region of 46 players, before that number is whittled down for September.
We got together for a couple of hours [yesterday] and couldn’t make our minds up,” said Schmidt after last night’s clash with the Baa-Baas.
“Some of what we decided was let’s have a look tonight, and let’s get across to the Emerging Ireland tour and have a look at another couple of guys over there. That’s partly why Stuart McCloskey and Noel Reid didn’t play tonight, and Rhys Ruddock didn’t play tonight. They’re on the Emerging tour and we’ll get a look at them then.
“But it was even good to have them in the environment to see them train and to see how well they’ve fitted in.
“Noel has obviously been with us before when we went to Argentina. Rhys has played a lot of games with us, but to get Stuart McCloskey in was really good value and he has slotted in with ease.”
Schmidt indicated that he and his coaching staff will head for Belfast tomorrow evening to take in the Guinness Pro12 final, a chance to “have a look at a few more players” in the Munster side who are vying for World Cup selection.
Overall, the feeling Schmidt expressed last night in Thomond Park is that there are many decisions still to be made.
“We tried to narrow it down and say what would the 31 look like, what would 46 look like or would it be 47 or 45,” said Schmidt.
I think it is really difficult and I’d have to say [the Barbarians game] was another piece in the puzzle that hopefully can give us a little bit more clarity. From that, we’ll go to Belfast on Saturday and get together on Sunday and start to work out how things are shaping.”
It’s been widely presumed that Schmidt will opt for a split of 17 forwards and 14 backs in his finalised 31-man squad, as will many other nations.
Deciding on how many players in each position to bring with him to England and Wales is another matter altogether, one Schmidt admits might see him make errors.
“We had all sorts of combinations today, to be honest,” said Schmidt. “I haven’t done this before, I know I’m going to get a few things wrong, because it is inevitable when you first go into something.
“Is it a 17/14 split? If it is a 17/14 split, can you take three out-halves and three scrum-halves? That leaves you quite light elsewhere,” said Schmidt.
“We have players who are quite versatile in that back five, will that suffice? You know, I’m sure you guys [journalists] are throwing those same questions around, if you can help me out!
“I’m sure you’ll throw a few teams into the media over the next two weeks. I’ll try and get a look at them, get some guidance because it is tough.
It is especially tough when you don’t have a lot of recent games. We get quite a good lead in to the World Cup, but we don’t get a great lead in to making selection decisions in two months time. So, as I say, it’s a learning experience for me as well.”
On the out-half situation, Schmidt outlined that last night’s Baa-Baas game had given Ireland the chance to “contrast” Ian Madigan and Paddy Jackson, the initial verdict being that “both did pretty well in difficult conditions.”
As is his way, Schmidt didn’t fail to mention Munster’s Ian Keatley, who will be further assessed tomorrow evening in Kingspan Stadium.
Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony have both been ruled out of that Pro12 final tomorrow, and Schmidt said that injury concerns have only made his World Cup selection duties all the harder.
“That’s part of why we’ve wanted to keep our powder dry a little bit until after Saturday. I saw Conor go down here last weekend and thought ‘that could be a total change in our thinking’, because Conor would obviously be in our squad.
“Therefore you start thinking about ‘right, what are our alternatives?’ And that’s something that is very, very difficult, because you try to keep a balance of experience as well.
“Conor’s experience might allow someone who’s less experienced to be involved, and if those balances get upset by injury then it may mean that you re-jig the whole position, the positional mix that you’re looking at.
“So it is a little bit complicated, and it is definitely restrictive.
Even week-to-week you’re thinking that you might have to make changes because of injury. How long’s that injury going to be? Because if you replace a player he can’t play again in the tournament, and therefore you’ve got to have good cover there.”
With Murray set for six weeks of rehab on his knee issue, the hope will be that O’Mahony is back in a similar timeframe and well prepared for the World Cup. Both are almost certain to be included, but Schmidt will be leaning on his fellow coaches as they make their final decisions.
“I’ve spoken to coaches who have been to the tournament, and I’ve read the reviews from the tournaments in the past and tried to learn from those so I minimise my errors,” said Schmidt.
“But as a coaching staff, Les is a guy who’s really important to us because he’s been there and understands the conundrum that it is. Feeky’s been there last time too, so we’re trying to work it out as best we can.”
Fingers crossed
We messed up our joking bid with Scotland the last time due to Bertie bowl n few other amateurish things. Scots regretted bidding with us big time. Hopefully this one will come through
“amateurish things” is right!! All we did was blow millions on making fools of ourselves.
Not a fan of having the Euros across a number of cities, but I’d certainly be keen for a handful of top-end, knockout matches here!
Knowing the FAI, they’ll probably make a bolloc*s of it…
No probably about it
Agree. I wouldnt trust the FAI as far as i’d throw em.
Say what you want about John Delaney but he is a consummate bureaucrat. Like him or loathe him I would have him as CEO of my company in a second. When he is finished with the FAI he will get a job with UEFA and will do well in that bureaucratic organisation, which in turn will benefit us in the future.
He is a constant massive drain of the funds. Funds that should be going towards developing a proper league not one which still has Dublin university student teams along with 40 others from various areas of dublin.
They have never even built a decent stadium of their own, while the GAA are redeveloping yet another, one in a long line they have built over the years.
The FAI are a low class scammer outfit reliant on their support base not caring and being happy to blindly cheer on some English team feverishly and of course on occasion a bunch of second rate soccer players in an IRFU owned stadium.
@Tribesman. Your absolutely right with some of the points you made, but JD didn’t invent the FAI. I think we all can admit it was pretty shambolic before he had anything to do with it. Lansdowne Rd has transformed into a state of the art stadia now. And also what can you do if soccer fans show allegiance to foreign clubs.
God this better happen.
UEFA continuing with their good work to destroy football with this ridiculous format.The tournament should be held in one or two countries like always.
Idea is smaller countries get a chance, that’s good surely?
Smaller countries can still get chance under the traditonal format,and it will feel like a proper international tournament not one that will be just an international version of the champions league.The FAI could easily collaborate on a tournament with the Welsh and Scotttish F.A.s. or one staged between Lithuania,Estonia and Latvia.
Can’t wait to watch Slovakia v Greece in the Aviva, it’ll be a cracker.
@Diramuid
Russia v Ukraine would be a cracker :)
The general Irish footballing public doesn’t deserve an event like this on their door-step, let them trot over to England for it if they want.
Idiot.
And before you give out about me committing the heinous crime of supporting an English team (Leeds) there isnt even a League of Ireland club in my county. The closest one, Monaghan, was allowed go to the wall. If the FAI dont care about it, why should I??
The general Irish public, never mind the footballing public, doesn’t deserve an event like this on their doorstep. Imagine all the hooligans that some of the European clubs will bring… I feel sorry for the genuine soccer fans but there is most definitely a hooligan element attached to the game that spoils it for the genuine fans and we don’t need the security bills that come with a major soccer event like this.
It’s the public fault not the fai. To busy in pubs watchin sky
Well if there isn’t one in your county then you’re off the hook! Much more of a connection between Cavan/Fermanagh/Tyrone/Donegal/Down/Armagh and Liverpool than there is between any of those places and a stupid LOI club!
The ignorance of that response is amazing. 1. There’s clubs in the counties you named 2. How could an English club EVER have a stronger connection than any Irish one no matter where it is.
If that’s the case shouldn’t people in Cavan prefer to go to Manchester to watch Euro2020 than Dublin, “much more of a connection” no?
Liverpool even
Down Fermanagh Armagh are in a different league plus they have teams baliinamallard portadown Armagh city etc, cavan do not have a team though
@Shane. We should do everything possible to hold games, the benefits to the economy would be huge.
Typical Barstooler response “Its the FAI’s fault”
So you support a club in another Country because there is no team in your County. Do you not see the irony in that?
You can make all the excuses you want, if the people of Monaghan had supported the club they’d still be there.
Also, I’m including the FAI in the group of people who don’t deserve it.
Is Irish soccer that popular anymore?
Still the 2nd biggest participation sport on the island after GAA so yeah quite popular
No
Pretty sure it has the most participants for a team sport.
@Not Eric R
Have you not heard of the GAA?
What’s the GAA?
Have a look at the Irish sports council’s figures there. If you want you can lump, football and hurling in as one and there’s still less. Unless there’s been a huge swing in the first 4 months of this year (there hasnt) I’m right.
Number of teams does not indicate participation nearly 800,000 members of GAA clubs
It was yourself that mentioned active participants Wayne.
This is all irrelevant really. Hopefully we get to host a game!
Dose this mean we’ll automatically qualify for the tournament?
Oh yeah, 13 host cities so each selected nation automatically qualifies…don’t be such a dope!
A Ryan if that’s an answer to me, I think it’s countries than take part in this tournament, not cities, but please do let me know if this will be changed by 2020
Cities will be chosen as host cities, not host nations. There will be 13 host cities in 13 nations.
Thank you
Padraig. They would rather watch football in England anyway. Just ask an irishman who he supports. I support Arsenal and I am from Dundalk. All the plastic Liverpool fans be celebrating soon enough. Don’t forget to boo Gerrard in the world cup.
Will any matches be played in dalymount or tolka?
Why would matches be played there? Better chance of having one or two in Ferrycarrig Park.
Yeah, the final and all the England group matches.
Absolute Crazy if Irl got it, give it to Scotland/wales/iceland. WHY? look at the state of our league, we dont support our league, barstool nation, most Irish ppl despise the LOI. Barstoolers = Fake fans.
Nice comeback, don’t address my point whatsoever.
The only way we will get to play in it
They want to host them today? I think they’d be better off waiting another 6 years or so.
Maybe they should try and get Croke Park, they would hardly say no to an 82,000 capacity stadium