AND SO MARTIN O’Neill opens his fridge, rummages around and tries to rustle up another World Cup qualifying stir fry.
This time, things don’t look too promising – all he’s got in there is half a green pepper, some mouldy Gorgonzola and a can of Tuborg – but then Republic of Ireland XIs have rarely been haute cuisine.
Still, add the suspended Robbie Brady to the crocked Wes Hoolahan, Harry Arter, Shane Duffy, Ciaran Clark, Daryl Murphy and, possibly yet, James McCarthy for tonight’s game against Wales and you wonder if O’Neill might be tempted to ring for a takeaway.
The bareness of Ireland’s larder for such an important World Cup qualifier has been the fraught backdrop to this week. A downbeat O’Neill described it as the worst list of lame that he has had as Ireland manager. This has led to McCarthy’s participation in a training session kick-about being greeted like white smoke at a Papal Conclave, while the sight of Seamus Coleman temporarily sitting among the infirm was almost too shocking to bear.
And all that coming after Wales had been given the best news imaginable, when, on 18 February, after three months out injured, and weeks ahead of schedule, Gareth Bale put on a Real Madrid shirt, lashed in a goal against Espanyol at the Bernabeu and flared his nostrils menacingly in our direction. Gulp.
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David Davies
David Davies
None of this was in the plan. We’d put our feet up over Christmas safe in the knowledge that Ireland were two points clear at the top of Group D, four clear of Wales, Bale was injured and anyway, weren’t we just after beating Austria on their patch, heralding a new era of Napoleonic continental dominance? Pass the Quality Street!
So this is not ideal; but then, it rarely is.
Because while it’s clear that Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland team has an ability to sneak precious results from unpromising situations and an unquestionable team spirit, it’s to the manager’s credit that those things are not dependent on the availability of any specific personnel. Which is a good thing, as it turns out that those personnel are rarely all available at any one time anyway.
O’Neill’s Ireland reminds one of a philosophical concept known to beard-stroking university types as ‘The Ship of Theseus’, but to the rest of us as ‘Trigger’s Broom’. This refers to the episode in Only Fools and Horses when Trigger – a roadsweeper by profession – explains proudly that “this old broom has had seventeen new heads and fourteen new handles in its time.”
Like Trigger’s belief that his trusty implement remains the same broom despite having its component parts changed, O’Neill’s Ireland too has had all its bits replaced and discarded again on numerous occasions, yet remains fundamentally the same feisty, gutsy entity.
Every part of the team has been retooled and patched up at some point. David Forde started the first four competitive games of O’Neill’s reign in goal, giving way to a five-match Shay Given interregnum, before Darren Randolph seized the number one jersey.
Left back is a rotating title bestowed on Stephen Ward or Robbie Brady as circumstances dictate. And while Clark and Duffy look to be the anointed central defence unit now, the venerable pair of John O’Shea and Richard Keogh were pressed into service in Serbia and probably will be again tonight.
Coleman, as right back and emergent Captain-Leader-Legend figure, could be seen as the team’s indispensable heartbeat. Yet he was missing for both games against Germany in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, David Meyler and Cyrus Christie filling in respectively as four points were pilfered from the world champions.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The McCarthy-Whelan Institute for Sideways Passing had been the preferred midfield formula for much of O’Neill’s time, until the dropping of the elder of the pair after defeat to Belgium at the Euros. But the indomitable Stoke midfielder has started three of the four World Cup qualifiers so far and may well be shuffling around in front of the Irish defence until the end of time, or until Harry Arter gets fit, whichever comes first.
Even Brady and Jeff Hendrick, the buddy cop duo at the heart of the Euro 2016 feel-good factor, were missing for the hardscrabble victory in Moldova; and Meyler, Stephen Quinn and Arter have been called upon for important cameos too.
Up front, Shane Long scored what was, prior to the Euros, the iconic goal of O’Neill’s reign, yet has only started nine of his 20 competitive games, Daryl Murphy as likely to catch the manager’s eye when jotting down a team-sheet. Jonathan Walters, James McClean, Hoolahan and Aiden McGeady have all been key to big results under O’Neill, yet the team have thrived in their absences on other occasions.
It’s ironic that the lack of truly indispensable players, once a major criticism of the Irish team, has now become almost a strength. There are important players, sure, but there is no-one that is so good that they can’t be done without. And given the vagaries of injury and suspension, that has turned out to be a good thing.
It’s bad news for Ireland that they face a team whose one truly indispensable player is fit and raring to go, but they have coped with big name opponents under O’Neill’s watch in the past. Let’s hope that Trigger was right, and while the handle and the head might be different, it’s still the same old broom for the job tonight.
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New heads maybe, but same trusty broom for Martin O'Neill against Wales
AND SO MARTIN O’Neill opens his fridge, rummages around and tries to rustle up another World Cup qualifying stir fry.
This time, things don’t look too promising – all he’s got in there is half a green pepper, some mouldy Gorgonzola and a can of Tuborg – but then Republic of Ireland XIs have rarely been haute cuisine.
Still, add the suspended Robbie Brady to the crocked Wes Hoolahan, Harry Arter, Shane Duffy, Ciaran Clark, Daryl Murphy and, possibly yet, James McCarthy for tonight’s game against Wales and you wonder if O’Neill might be tempted to ring for a takeaway.
The bareness of Ireland’s larder for such an important World Cup qualifier has been the fraught backdrop to this week. A downbeat O’Neill described it as the worst list of lame that he has had as Ireland manager. This has led to McCarthy’s participation in a training session kick-about being greeted like white smoke at a Papal Conclave, while the sight of Seamus Coleman temporarily sitting among the infirm was almost too shocking to bear.
And all that coming after Wales had been given the best news imaginable, when, on 18 February, after three months out injured, and weeks ahead of schedule, Gareth Bale put on a Real Madrid shirt, lashed in a goal against Espanyol at the Bernabeu and flared his nostrils menacingly in our direction. Gulp.
None of this was in the plan. We’d put our feet up over Christmas safe in the knowledge that Ireland were two points clear at the top of Group D, four clear of Wales, Bale was injured and anyway, weren’t we just after beating Austria on their patch, heralding a new era of Napoleonic continental dominance? Pass the Quality Street!
So this is not ideal; but then, it rarely is.
Because while it’s clear that Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland team has an ability to sneak precious results from unpromising situations and an unquestionable team spirit, it’s to the manager’s credit that those things are not dependent on the availability of any specific personnel. Which is a good thing, as it turns out that those personnel are rarely all available at any one time anyway.
O’Neill’s Ireland reminds one of a philosophical concept known to beard-stroking university types as ‘The Ship of Theseus’, but to the rest of us as ‘Trigger’s Broom’. This refers to the episode in Only Fools and Horses when Trigger – a roadsweeper by profession – explains proudly that “this old broom has had seventeen new heads and fourteen new handles in its time.”
Like Trigger’s belief that his trusty implement remains the same broom despite having its component parts changed, O’Neill’s Ireland too has had all its bits replaced and discarded again on numerous occasions, yet remains fundamentally the same feisty, gutsy entity.
Every part of the team has been retooled and patched up at some point. David Forde started the first four competitive games of O’Neill’s reign in goal, giving way to a five-match Shay Given interregnum, before Darren Randolph seized the number one jersey.
Left back is a rotating title bestowed on Stephen Ward or Robbie Brady as circumstances dictate. And while Clark and Duffy look to be the anointed central defence unit now, the venerable pair of John O’Shea and Richard Keogh were pressed into service in Serbia and probably will be again tonight.
Coleman, as right back and emergent Captain-Leader-Legend figure, could be seen as the team’s indispensable heartbeat. Yet he was missing for both games against Germany in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, David Meyler and Cyrus Christie filling in respectively as four points were pilfered from the world champions.
The McCarthy-Whelan Institute for Sideways Passing had been the preferred midfield formula for much of O’Neill’s time, until the dropping of the elder of the pair after defeat to Belgium at the Euros. But the indomitable Stoke midfielder has started three of the four World Cup qualifiers so far and may well be shuffling around in front of the Irish defence until the end of time, or until Harry Arter gets fit, whichever comes first.
Even Brady and Jeff Hendrick, the buddy cop duo at the heart of the Euro 2016 feel-good factor, were missing for the hardscrabble victory in Moldova; and Meyler, Stephen Quinn and Arter have been called upon for important cameos too.
Up front, Shane Long scored what was, prior to the Euros, the iconic goal of O’Neill’s reign, yet has only started nine of his 20 competitive games, Daryl Murphy as likely to catch the manager’s eye when jotting down a team-sheet. Jonathan Walters, James McClean, Hoolahan and Aiden McGeady have all been key to big results under O’Neill, yet the team have thrived in their absences on other occasions.
It’s bad news for Ireland that they face a team whose one truly indispensable player is fit and raring to go, but they have coped with big name opponents under O’Neill’s watch in the past. Let’s hope that Trigger was right, and while the handle and the head might be different, it’s still the same old broom for the job tonight.
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Stage is set for an enthralling night and the Ireland-Wales pre-match talking points
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column COYBIG indispensable interchangeable Ireland tommy martin Tommy Martin Column Wales