LET THE FUN BEGIN AGAIN
It’s not ‘win or bust’ for O’Neill but Ireland could do with a tonic in Cardiff showdown
OLD foes, new format. For many, the Republic of Ireland’s third meeting with Wales in 18 months was unlikely to provoke much of a tizzy, as the new Nations League competition is so complicated Pythagoras would struggle to explain it.
For all the UEFA promises of a back-door pass to the Euro 2020 finals, this is not a qualifier in the accepted old school sense. It’s a hybrid international, akin to the Charity Shield in the way it doesn’t matter an awful lot if you win, or lose.
And yet the build-up has been anything but humdrum between the no-shows involving Denmark, Declan Rice and Harry Arter and just how many people have fallen out with Roy Keane. Even so, over 5,000 tickets remain unsold for the Group B4 opener, even though it is the first home game of Ryan Giggs’ reign as the Wales manager.
As the Cardiff City Stadium was bathed in autumnal sunshine yesterday, French referee Clement Turpin — a name of endless possibilities — had a lively kickabout with his officials.
Whatever happened to a quick walkabout an hour before kick-off?
Close to the touchline, the bunting and flags were in place for UEFA’s pre-match rehearsals for a competition which is in danger of losing credibility before it gets under way.
For if the Danes field their five-aside players and part-timers against Wales in Aarhus on Sunday — as they did in the friendly defeat to Slovakia last night — the Republic of Ireland would be seriously disadvantaged, and the integrity of the tournament will come into question.
Ahead of his 50th international as manager, Martin O’Neill called on UEFA to sort the mess out last night.
‘They’ll have to make some form of statement,’ he said, adding the issue over commercial rights between the Danish players and the administrators ‘could be still resolved’.
In terms of tonight’s game, the focus is on a weakened Irish team making its own statement against a Welsh side hell-bent on exacting revenge for last October’s 1-0 World Cup loss here.
Of the team that O’Neill leaned on that night, Robbie Brady and goal hero James McClean are injured, while Daryl Murphy is retired.
‘We’re stretched,’ admitted the manager, while revealing that McClean, despite two broken bones in his left hand, was talking about playing in a cast after his fall on Tuesday.
Last night, Sky Sports reported that McClean would be out for at least six weeks, which would also rule him out of the October double-header against Denmark and Wales. With so many absentees, O’Neill is set to give uncapped Preston forward Callum Robinson his debut in a competitive arena while veteran warhorse Jon Walters will start, probably up front.
‘It may be a case of needs must. Jon’s been a good old player for us,’ said O’Neill.
As a plus, Seamus Coleman is back to lead by example and the Ireland manager last night hailed his ‘world class’ full-back. ‘If Seamus had stayed fit, we’d have taken our place in Russia,’ insisted O’Neill. Wales could say the same about Gareth Bale, who was also missing last October, and was larking about in training yesterday like one of the lads. ‘Welsh people are obsessed by him. He didn’t play here but he did play in Dublin and outside one fantastic run he was reasonably quiet in the game. But he can change the game with a click of your fingers,’ observed O’Neill.
It’s been a difficult build-up for Ireland with the defections of Declan Rice and Harry Arter, plus the late spate of injuries, but the mood was positive and upbeat as the players trained last night.
The captain courageous, Coleman, is back and Shane Duffy will play despite a groin issue. With Stephen Ward winning his 50th cap and the return of Walters, there is a backbone of resilience in the ranks.
Coleman hinted last night that he spoke with Rice during the week and insisted the West Ham defender would be ‘welcomed back with open arms’. It was a firm rebuff for those who have been less than complimentary about any return for Rice.
The Ireland captain, like his manager, is keeping the door ajar. As for landing running in the Nations League, Ireland will have to draw on all their mental toughness which has characterised away assignments under O’Neill.
Improbably, the team is unbeaten in their last six competitive away games, in Denmark, Wales, Georgia, Austria, Moldova and Serbia.
In qualifiers alone, the last away loss was 2-1 to Poland in October, 2015. It’s a very fine record on the road under O’Neill who becomes the fourth Irish manager to chalk up 50 games, following Giovanni Trapattoni (64), Mick McCarthy (68) and Jack Charlton (94)
So far, his ledger is in credit with a European Championship final on his CV and a World Cup play-off loss. His overall time as manager won’t be defined by the quirky Nations League, rather on whether Ireland reaches the finals of Euro 2020 or not.
‘If we weren’t beaten, considering the circumstances, that would be a decent result,’ he said. Indeed, it would.