RIGHT BACK WHERE HE STARTED
MATT DOHERTY can talk, and that’s for sure.
But asked yesterday to assess his Ireland career to date and the Wolves ace was left utterly tongue-tied and unsure of what to say.
“Erm……..”
(13 long seconds of silence) “Erm…
“Urrm….”
(more silence)
“Well, I’ve not played that much, and I want to play as much as I can.”
Where to accommodate Doherty in the team was the conundrum facing Mick Mccarthy going into the start of this campaign back in March.
And in the manager’s eyes at least, that question was answered in the opening game in Gibraltar.
Doherty and Seamus Coleman played down the right but the Wolves man was hooked after 56 minutes and Mccarthy deemed it a failed experiment.
He said he wouldn’t be trying it again and he has stayed true to his word with Doherty restricted to one substitute appearance since then.
But leaving Gibraltar, Mccarthy also said he wouldn’t read too much into the game as the conditions were so dreadful and that three points were all that mattered.
And yet Doherty’s role with the side was indeed determined when analysis of the new setup was supposedly best held in reserve for another day.
Either way, Mccarthy was adamant that Doherty (left) wouldn’t be displacing Seamus Coleman at right-back.
But if you thought that would lead to friction between Doherty and the Ireland captain, it could not be further from the truth.
Publicly at least, most players will always claim to have a healthy relationship with other team-mates. But this relationship is bordering on bromance territory.
Doherty, 27, recalled a car journey they took to the local shops during an Ireland camp in the summer.
“We were going to the shop to buy sweets because Love Island was on! We’d go get some things and then go back and watch it.
“We’re best mates when we get here, we’re probably the closest to each other. It’s not strange at all.
“It’s just totally normal. It’s not ‘I want to play’ or ‘You want to play’. Honestly if you could see it you would think it is totally normal and healthy. “We’re always together and our friendship is quite strong. But no, we don’t room together. I need to have my own room. I think most people probably like having their own room.”
Doherty first broke into the
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