Villans ready to step up as new heroes in green
FOR Republic of Ireland fans of a certain vintage, there will always be a certain affection towards Aston Villa. In the 1994 World Cup finals, four Villans back-boned the Irish team, with the peerless Paul McGrath in defence alongside Steve Staunton, plus Ray Houghton and Andy Townsend in midfield, with the latter as skipper.
Curiously, those four internationals in the USA were the only ones in which this Fab Four played together while on Villa’s books. I was reminded of the strong Villa connection with Irish football on Sunday last when they played Birmingham City in the Second City derby at a throbbing Villa Park.
The Villa starting XI included Conor Hourihane and Scott Hogan, both very much in Martin O’Neill’s thoughts for the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020 qualifiers, as well as Jack Grealish, who would have been, had he not ditched Ireland.
Glenn Whelan, too, was on the Villa bench and made a late cameo as substitute. A further Irish angle was provided by Steve Bruce, the Villa manager, who turned down an offer from Jack Charlton to play for Ireland in the ’94 World Cup.
Villa were vibrant and fair value for their 2-0 victory, which saw Grealish initiate the first goal and Hourihane score a cracking second. The former’s defection from the Ireland ranks still jars with O’Neill, who encouraged him to stay, for he recognised the guile of the Brummie, and his potential.
Had he remained, Grealish would be the No1 candidate to succeed Wes Hoolahan as a creative midfield hub. Who knows, he may yet have second thoughts, for he is still eligible and O’Neill can’t afford to be choosy. If the Ireland manager needed confirmation of the rebuilding work confronting him, it was certainly rammed home over the weekend.
Of the 14 players he used against Denmark in Dublin, only three started, Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough), Shane Duffy (Brighton) and Jeff Hendrick (Burnley).
While Daryl Murphy and Hoolahan have retired from international duty, and injuries account for Robbie Brady (long-term) and Ciaran Clark (short-term), the lack of first team involvement for O’Neill’s other front-line players is alarming.
It explains why he will energise his squad for the trip to Turkey next month to ensure he has all bases covered in time for the Nations League opener on September 6 in Wales.
Declan Rice (West Ham), Keith Long (Burnley), Hogan (Aston Villa), Hourihane (Aston Villa), Callum O’Dowda (Bristol City) and Sean Maguire (Preston), if fit, can expect the call.
While Rice has earned fine reviews this season, the Villa duo also appear ripe for promotion.
Hogan’s career is akin to that of former Ireland striker John Aldridge who also spent his early seasons in the lower leagues and didn’t play at international level until he was 26. Hogan will reach that age in April.
While he is no Robbie Keane, there is every reason to believe he can provide a cutting edge which Ireland have lacked in attack since Keane retired. Hourihane, who joined Villa five days before Hogan, is that bit further up the pecking order under O’Neill.
Just turned 27, Hourihane is no rookie but he’s similar in profile to Keith Andrews who was 28 when he made his competitive debut for Ireland and became a regular for the next four years.
Where he has an edge is in his goals return, having netted eight times already this season.
Expect both to get game-time against Turkey on March 23, where Whelan may add to his 83 caps. Should he do so, he will nudge past the mighty McGrath. It is clearly a Villa thing.