Mick is right to ignore past players’ attitude to his selection policy
MUCH of football is about the little details, as Giovanni Trapattoni used to say, and already Mick McCarthy’s return as Republic of Ireland manager has seen slight, but subtle, changes. Almost all of them positive.
Take the key area of communication, which was not always a strong point under the previous managerial regime.
McCarthy has been pro-active in terms of talking to his players, his coaching staff, the Irish media and attending matches. Lots of matches.
He has made this information available through his scouting report on the FAI website on Saturday and Sunday evenings. It’s a new approach, and a welcome one. After all, why not let the public know what games the manager and his senior coaches are attending and what they think of the players they have been watching?
In the past, the FAI would clam up when asked where Martin O’Neill was going on a Saturday, as if it was a state secret.
Perhaps the arrival of a new media chief, Cathal Dervan, has influenced this more forthcoming approach.
McCarthy has also openly canvassed players who are eligible for the green shirt, some of whom have been more responsive than others.
Patrick Bamford of Leeds United appears to be warming to the idea of declaring; Will Keane of Ipswich already has. Southampton’s Nathan Redmond, who would be a prized catch, but there is no white smoke yet. If some former internationals feel miffed at McCarthy for his flexibility towards potential newcomers, he is entitled to inject fizz to a squad that became stale under O’Neill.
As it stands, the former Ipswich boss only has one stab at reaching a major tournament and anyone, or anything, who can help him get there has to be considered.
The new manager has built up a thorough dossier of players, many of them established, others less so, such as James Collins of League One leaders Luton Town.
He has also reached out to players who lost their way, for whatever reasons under O’Neill, such as Keiren Westwood, David McGoldrick, Stephen Ward and Aiden McGeady.
All four are set to return tomorrow when McCarthy names his first squad for the opening Euro 2020 qualifiers against Gibraltar (March 23) and Georgia (March 26).
McGoldrick, 31, was encouraged by McCarthy to declare
for Ireland when they were together at Ipswich and can look forward to a key role in the eight qualifiers this year.
On Monday night, his impact as a substitute for Sheffield United was instant, through his control, vision, and awareness.
McGoldrick plays a little deeper than most forwards, he is difficult to mark and the perfect foil for the more mobile Billy Sharp. No one should be surprised to see McGoldrick in tandem with a resurgent Seanie Maguire in Gibraltar.
After O’Neill tried 3-5-2 for much of last year, which made Ireland difficult to beat, if difficult to watch, McCarthy will revert to a flat back four, which will suit captain, Seamus Coleman, who is at his best as right-back.
Across midfield, Callum O’Dowda, Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady appear best-placed to start on The Rock. In-form Alan Browne and Conor Hourihane are pushing for involvement while the availability of Preston’s Callum Robinson after a fourmonth lay-off is timely for McCarthy. Of all the newcomers drafted in by O’Neill in 2018, Robinson brought the most zest and guile.
With three weeks before the Group D opener, there are bound to be withdrawals but assuming McCarthy’s props stay in place, his first Irish XI (second time around), may shape up like this: Randolph; Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Stevens; O’Dowda, Hendrick, Browne, Brady; McGoldrick, Maguire.
‘McCarthy has only one stab at reaching a major tournament and any help must be considered’