SHANE McGRATH
It’s not about the GPA
DIVORCED, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived. In Dublin this week, Mick McCarthy recalled the nursery rhyme about the fate of King Henry VIII’s six wives, as he predicted the demise of international managers after the Euro 2020 finals.
McCarthy came up with the analogy when asked about the relevance of his trip to Amsterdam on March 3 for the 2020-21 Nations League draw. After all, he won’t be in charge when the games commence in September.
At least he knows his fate. So too does Danish coach Age Hareide, who stands down after the Euro finals, while other managers will be on their bikes if their teams falter in the summer.
‘My situation is kind of different as I know I’ll be going, but there will be a shed-load of them there (in Amsterdam) that when it comes around to it (Nations League), they won’t be in the job,’ said McCarthy.
‘How many (managers) leave after European Championships or World Cups? Lots of them.
‘There may well be agreements in other places that people will go, we just don’t know about them.
‘I’m the coach of the team at the time of the draw so I’ll still be able to talk about the teams we’re going to play, don’t worry. Quite clearly, Stephen (Kenny) can’t go and do it. That would be completely nuts,’ he added.
The entire Irish management succession stakes is slightly wacky but it’s close to running its course, and that could be sooner than later, judging by McCarthy’s sense of fairness.
Should Ireland bomb out in the play-offs next month, McCarthy is prepared to stand down early for Kenny, the current Under 21 manager, to take over.
There are three friendlies in early June – two of them in Austria against Euro 2020 finalists, Holland and Ukraine – while the
FAI have booked Thomond Park for a game on June 8.
‘If it doesn’t go well (in the play-offs), we’ve got three friendlies in June. I’ve had that conversation already. I spoke to Gary (Owens) and Roy (Barrett) about that,’ said McCarthy.
‘I would be more than happy to take the games, stay on until the end of my contract in July but the reality is it would be silly really if Stephen wants any preparations for the Nations League. Then, surely the three games in June ought to be taken in.
‘But don’t think for one minute by the way that, if it doesn’t go right (in the play-offs), that I’m going to be coming in and saying “I’m resigning” because I’m not. I will take the games (in June).
‘Look, we’re all adults. What would be the best for the Irish national team on the 26th or 31st? The best for the Irish national team would be if we qualify, right, number one. After that, what would be the best if we lost? ‘I’m not a bulls ***** r. I know the score. What’s the point (of staying on)? He (Kenny) should take the games.’
The notion of McCarthy and Kenny working alongside each other for a cluster of June friendlies isn’t one that is likely to work, as McCarthy realises. Rather, it makes more sense for one voice.
‘I think it would make it harder for him (Kenny). Awkward, if I’m there. I’m hardly a small personality in the place and when Stephen gets the job, he has to do the job.’
‘If I’m still there, do you think the players would still see me as the boss? Of course not. It would be time for him to get his ideas and his preparation although I hope to God he ain’t doing it (then).’
‘I hope it doesn’t happen but, quite clearly, it would be beneficial to the team, the players, to everybody, for his preparations for the Nations League, that he (Kenny) took the games.’
Should McCarthy steer Ireland through the minefields of the play-offs, he won’t be inviting Kenny on to the senior coaching ticket for the Euro finals.
‘If we qualify, someone might say “Would Stephen be with you if you qualify?” Not a chance, no. No way. That ain’t happening,’ said McCarthy.
These are curious times in senior football. In the next six weeks, McCarthy could be either a hero or a fall guy. If Ireland were to lose in the play-offs, how would he reflect on his second turn as manager? ‘You know my answer to that. I’ll tell you on the 31st or the 26th,’ he said.
‘No, I have loved every minute of what I have done so far and I think we have done alright, to be quite honest.
‘The lads have been great, I have really enjoyed working with them and I want to be in the Euros. I would only know how I feel, if and when it happens.’
For his fourth play-off as Ireland manager, McCarthy has to win successive games away from home. It’s been done before, by Martin O’Neill against Moldova and Austria in 2016, although those games were a month apart.
McCarthy supervised two wins in five days, away to Cyprus and Andorra in 2001, but taking out Slovakia, followed by the winners of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Northern Ireland, would be more difficult.
Asked if this was his biggest challenge as Ireland manager, he replied, ‘Absolutely.’
‘Slovakia are a good side, with good players. Some of them are playing regularly in Serie A. They’ve had a settled team,’ McCarthy added.
‘They’ve had similar results to us and the only game they lost at home was against Croatia, who got to the World Cup final. We know they’re a good team.’
As a plus, their star man Marek
Hamsik is with Dalian Pro FC in China, where the start of the domestic league has been postponed due to the Coronavirus. An idle Hamsik may help McCarthy. ‘I guess he won’t play at all (before March 26) and he’s a big player for them, of course. I’ll take whatever plus comes out of it.
‘You don’t know who is going to play when it comes around. Everybody is saying to me: “He’s playing and he’s doing this and that”. ‘There’s six weeks until the game. If they’re not playing on March 1 for the next three weeks, then that’s the big issue for me.’
At the moment, James McCarthy is playing regularly for Crystal Palace
and would appear nailed on for a recall, although his decision to reject overtures to play against New Zealand in a friendly last November didn’t go down so well with the Ireland boss.
‘I put him in the squad for the New Zealand game. I thought that might have been a good platform for him. Whether he didn’t think it was, and he wanted to be in the (first) team, you’ll have to ask him.’
‘I’ll go and watch him. And I’ll see. Whatever’s happened in the past and however he’s played in the past, and whatever he’s doing now, I’ve had a pretty settled midfield as well. So he’ll have to bypass at least one of them to get in.’
Mick McCarthy signed up for a short-term management marriage that was always going to end in divorce. For Irish football’s sake, let’s hope it’s an amicable one.