- Ben Blake reports from Copenhagen
WHEN IRELANDโS YOUTHFUL winger Callum OโDowda was asked this week for his earliest memory of the World Cup, the reply he gave was far from satisfactory for those present.
โIโd probably say the one in South Africa,โ the 22-year-old and youngest member of the current squad answered, after a brief pause.
โI remember coming home from school and watching the games.โ
Left a little bewildered by news that a current player has no recollection of the countryโs last appearance at a finals (or even the tournament four years on in Germany, for that matter), OโDowdaโs admission suddenly drove home just how long it has been since our nation last reached the holy grail of international football.
While qualification to the two most recent European championships has allowed Irish fans a return to the big stage โ where they feel they belong โ three unsuccessful World Cup qualification campaigns on the trot mean younger supporters are still waiting to experience the euphoric scenes witnessed in 1990, 1994 or 2002.
Now, 15 years on from an eventful summer in South Korea & Japan, opportunity raises its head once again for the Boys in Green. Granted, weโve been here before and fallen at the final hurdle more times than weโve scaled it but this can be different.
Denmark was the draw Ireland had hoped for and while the task wonโt be easy, itโs certainly achievable.
There was a friendly tone to the Denmark pre-match press conference yesterday as their affable Norwich manager Age Hareide told stories of the days when he was Martin OโNeillโs lodger during their time playing together with Norwich City.
The two players sitting alongside him, Kasper Schmeichel and danger man Christian Eriksen, spoke respectfully about their latest opponents in perfect English, while Hareide rightly stated his old team-mateโs gameplan would be โeasy to read but difficult to beatโ.
Irelandโs style of play may be predictable, but world champions Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Austria and Wales werenโt able to nullify it despite knowing well what to expect in recent times.
They can try,โ was Robbie Bradyโs answer after it was put to him whether the Danish players would be able to break Irelandโs strong team spirit. โBut weโll see tomorrow night. Weโre ready, weโve done our homework and weโre prepared.โ
OโNeillโs pre-match preparations have actually come into question of late with ex-Ireland number one Shay Given admitting to Richie Sadlier on Second Captains last week that they will have done little on their own shape or how best to play against Denmarkโs system in the build-up.
Defender Shane Duffy โ a colossus at the back for club and country this season โ also spoke about how few instructions his fellow Derry man gives before a match, during a recent interview with Jonathan Liew in the Independent.
โHe doesnโt really say much,โ Duffy replied, when asked what was said in the dressing room prior to last monthโs win over Wales in Cardiff.
โHe [O'Neill] kept mentioning how big the World Cup was. โIf you donโt realise how big the World Cup is, youโre in the wrong sport, and youโre one game away from a chance to go there.โ
โHe kept mentioning that, and everyone got on board. I think we wanted it a little bit more than they did on the night.โ
In an age when managers like Tottenhamโs Mauricio Pochettino insist on controlling every little detail right down to the brand of detergent used on his squadโs kits, it seems an extremely old school approach. But the results speak for themselves.
As the legions of Ireland supporters flooded into Copenhagen over the past two days โ with an estimated total of around 8,000 expected to arrive โ the hunt for tickets for tonightโs first leg has been hotting up.
Parken Stadium, which resembles a block of offices from the outside, sits on the edge of a common in the Indre Osterbro district known as Faelledparken.
The home of FC Copenhagen holds a capacity of 38,000, but only 2,305 tickets have been officially allocated to visiting fans and the Danish football association (DBU) officials have warned Ireland fans against attempting to purchase tickets in the home section.
There have even been stories of tickets being cancelled if it is suspected that the holder is Irish, with the DBU instructing the buyer to confirm their birthplace and address otherwise the booking will be revoked with no refund given.
Next highest on the priority list of travelling fans this weekend has been the mission to find a reasonably-priced pint in the notoriously expensive Scandinavian city. While some told tales of parting company with the equivalent of โฌ11, a couple of the Irish bars have generously been serving drinks at a discounted โฌ4.50.
Alternatively, you can purchase a six-pack of Tuborgโs Julebryg for just 65 krone (โฌ8.70) in the local corner shop. The Christmas beer, โa bottom-fermented wiener beer brewed on lager, mรผnchener, caramel malt, and added English liquoriceโ, even has its own holiday known as โJ-dayโ โ celebrated across Denmark on the first Friday of November. A week too early for us, sadly.
This time of the year has been significant in OโNeillโs Ireland career too. He and his management team celebrated four years in the job last week, while Robbie Bradyโs goal in the fog of Zenica will be two years ago this Monday.
Letโs add one more anniversary to that list tonight.
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Cos we got Salahโฆ Oh mane mane!!
@Ciarรกn: For now you have Salah.
The only debate is which big club he will go to in the summer, like every other player that shows some ability at Liverpool.
Itโs ok though, iv made a song for his replacement:
Weโve got Boufal, MAYBE Mane, no one wants Firmino.
@Eoin Finnega: jaysus thatโs a shite song.
@Eoin Finnega: I dont care if he goes or not Im enjoying the moment, Try it!! My support is not built around idolising footballers.
Two games in a row now Karius has made great saves to keep LFC ahead. Those of us who had seen something in him to recommend are feeling pretty good about nowโฆ Letโs hope he keeps it up, because heโs slowly winning the remaining doubters over.
@James Doyle: I imagine Klopp has told him to put in the performances til the end of the season to make him not have to sign another keeper. Literally playing for his anfield career
@Declan Snow: He told him he was number one and he wanted him to prove he made the right choice.
@Declan Snow: think myself playing behind VvD has made all the difference. From his debut, Van Dijk has been encouraging Karius to make the area his own. For a young goalie, that must make a huge difference, having a centre half who talks to you and trusts you to take care of things behind him. Heโs always had talent, but he just looks more at home now.
@James Doyle: Ye he certainly looks more confident. When we signed him he was apparently the 2nd best keeper in Germany. Having a big talker infront of him has to help. He just needs to come off his line a bit quicker and be more decisive around that and heโll be there or there abouts a top keeper.
@James Doyle: high opinion of yourself there James if you think itโs you playing behind VvD thatโs the difference. Iโve never even noticed you on the pitch.
@PJ Connolly: hur hur. But as the sort of guy who delights in pointing out similar errors in others, I have to give you kudos. Smart assery is always welcome.
Exciting times at Liverpool would love see klopp and Liverpool win the league next season. Still Have great chance in champions league
Salah for top goalscorer
@Jordo: Kane will nick it luckily
Itโs such a strange feeling as a Liverpool fan to see our keeper make a save like that (Karius has quietly been excellent for weeks now). Weโve been so used to having a poor standard of keeper for a long time now. Van Dijk is an incredible addition to the squad and I wonโt hear otherwise, and with Karius stepping up, Liverpool have really really steadied the ship at the back. A few more midfield additions and we are so, so close.
@Laura Walsh: what about the ox, heโs coming into his own in a big way too the last few games. He has a fair few assists now too!
@Hardly Normal: absolutely love Ox. Just one of those lads that you really want to do well cause he seems so sound. So happy heโs playing well! Say heโs delighted he left the sinking ship.
Good win.great save by Karius in 1st half.onwards and upwards.Salah is a legend.Goes to show how well liverpool are playing when theres a slight sense of dissapointment when they only win by 2.
Salah top scorer shhhhh. This team is on route to becoming one of Liverpools greatest. Y.N.W.A.
@Englandโs Envy: huge similarities between your posts and the Anto Whelan pretend Dub troll.
Class again top 4 in the bag now finish 2nd and get a run in Europe