END-OF-SEASON friendlies often get a bad rap but you try telling David Forde that they don’t matter.
After watching the defeat against Turkey from the stands, he’s raring to reclaim the number one jersey this weekend.
In the final months of the Trapattoni era Forde, now 34, finally managed to assert himself as Ireland’s first-choice keeper.
The opportunity was a long time coming and he made sure to seize it, often marking himself out as Ireland’s best performer as the World Cup campaign ground to a disappointing halt around him.
But now, under new management, it looks like he might have to prove himself all over again. Martin O’Neill has certainly been doing his due diligence as far as his goalkeeping options are concerned.
Forde has only started two of Ireland’s four friendlies under O’Neill and Keane with Keiren Westwood playing one and Rob Elliot handed his senior international debut against Turkey.
Darren Randolph and Brian Murphy have also been called up to squads, despite the latter only making a handful of first-team appearances since his move to QPR three seasons ago.
Advertisement
This week it was the turn of Manchester City teen Ian Lawlor while Coventry’s Joe Murphy will link up with the party in London as cover for Elliot, who is getting married this weekend.
If Forde still holds the throne, there’s certainly no shortage of pretenders.
“Sometimes it’s not nice to watch games but you get a different perspective,” Forde says, looking back on Sunday’s 2-1 defeat.
It gives you that bit between your teeth and a bit of hunger.
“I’m looking forward to a good game now against Italy. Like anything, it’s professional football and you want to play games because that’s what you’re here for.
“I’d love to be back in there and playing on Saturday.”
Playing against Italy holds a special significance for Forde, and not just because he has watched and admired the great Azzurri keepers — Zoff, Zenga and now Buffon.
Three years ago he made his full international debut when the sides met for a friendly in Liege, an unlikely 2-0 win for Ireland.
“It was a bizarre night,” he remembers. “A fantastic night.”
A similar result would not go amiss on Saturday. Ireland have lost their last two games, although they can rightly point to spells where they played well and enjoyed plenty of chances against both Serbia and Turkey.
Beyond the scorelines, Forde can already see O’Neill’s imprint begin to take hold.
“One of the biggest things I’ve taken from Martin is a high-tempo, high-pressing game. Earlier on in games we’ve been very effective but we just haven’t taken our chances so I think that could be a plus for us going forward.”
“It’s not nice getting beaten,” he says on the recent friendly defeats. “We want to start winning games and turning it around.
But he doesn’t lose sight of the bigger picture — the beginning of the Euro 2016 qualification campaign in September.
The last couple of games we’ve come in and said we should have taken our chances. We should have been comfortable in games where we’ve left the door open and allowed teams in. You get punished at this level.
“It’s disappointing but there’s still a lot of positives there. The main target is Georgia in September.”
'It gives you that bit between your teeth': David Forde won't budge as Ireland's number one
END-OF-SEASON friendlies often get a bad rap but you try telling David Forde that they don’t matter.
After watching the defeat against Turkey from the stands, he’s raring to reclaim the number one jersey this weekend.
In the final months of the Trapattoni era Forde, now 34, finally managed to assert himself as Ireland’s first-choice keeper.
The opportunity was a long time coming and he made sure to seize it, often marking himself out as Ireland’s best performer as the World Cup campaign ground to a disappointing halt around him.
But now, under new management, it looks like he might have to prove himself all over again. Martin O’Neill has certainly been doing his due diligence as far as his goalkeeping options are concerned.
Forde has only started two of Ireland’s four friendlies under O’Neill and Keane with Keiren Westwood playing one and Rob Elliot handed his senior international debut against Turkey.
Darren Randolph and Brian Murphy have also been called up to squads, despite the latter only making a handful of first-team appearances since his move to QPR three seasons ago.
This week it was the turn of Manchester City teen Ian Lawlor while Coventry’s Joe Murphy will link up with the party in London as cover for Elliot, who is getting married this weekend.
If Forde still holds the throne, there’s certainly no shortage of pretenders.
“Sometimes it’s not nice to watch games but you get a different perspective,” Forde says, looking back on Sunday’s 2-1 defeat.
“I’m looking forward to a good game now against Italy. Like anything, it’s professional football and you want to play games because that’s what you’re here for.
“I’d love to be back in there and playing on Saturday.”
Playing against Italy holds a special significance for Forde, and not just because he has watched and admired the great Azzurri keepers — Zoff, Zenga and now Buffon.
Three years ago he made his full international debut when the sides met for a friendly in Liege, an unlikely 2-0 win for Ireland.
“It was a bizarre night,” he remembers. “A fantastic night.”
A similar result would not go amiss on Saturday. Ireland have lost their last two games, although they can rightly point to spells where they played well and enjoyed plenty of chances against both Serbia and Turkey.
Beyond the scorelines, Forde can already see O’Neill’s imprint begin to take hold.
“One of the biggest things I’ve taken from Martin is a high-tempo, high-pressing game. Earlier on in games we’ve been very effective but we just haven’t taken our chances so I think that could be a plus for us going forward.”
“It’s not nice getting beaten,” he says on the recent friendly defeats. “We want to start winning games and turning it around.
But he doesn’t lose sight of the bigger picture — the beginning of the Euro 2016 qualification campaign in September.
“It’s disappointing but there’s still a lot of positives there. The main target is Georgia in September.”
Tough summer schedule ‘will eventually stand us in good stead,’ says O’Neill
He’s already played against England and Spain… but Ireland call still ‘a bonus’ for Hendrick
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
David Forde forde focus Martin O'Neill Ireland Republic Italy