O’Neill and Keane have a chance to learn something at this World Cup
Modern tactics can work for us
IN a discussion on the World Cup’s opening day, a radio host wondered how the heavy security presence in Moscow would react if Ireland fans were dancing and singing around them.
She sounded wistful as she asked the question of a correspondent in the Russian capital.
There would certainly be plenty of footage of any interaction; a tireless capacity for self-congratulation was the legacy left by Irish fans after Euros 2012 and 2016.
Me, my selfie and I was their motto.
But Russia 2018 can survive without us. Drunken kickabouts and grating sing-songs are not the preserve of the green army — news that, could, admittedly, come as a shock to some of them.
Peruvians have, according to reports, travelled in enormous numbers to Russia, and have been the star supporters at the tournament so far.
No country is made uniquely excited by the World Cup; it is one of the most powerful global cultural events, and it stirs excitement even in serial attendees like Germany, England and Brazil.
Ireland won’t be missed on the pitch, either. Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane provide a fragile link between the national soccer team and the tournament through their work as pundits for ITV.
Their words will be carefully parsed for controversy and insight but supporters of the Irish team should hope that they take more away from Russia than they give in penetrative commentary.
O’Neill, in particular, should absorb one lesson that will recur through the two weeks of group matches: there are plenty of teams competing who are modestly talented but who compensate through rigorous coaching and tactical discipline.
Most teams in Russia have no chance of winning the World Cup. There is an elite tier, followed by a group of countries that includes England, who have well-known players but lack the skills to figure alongside Brazil or Germany.
Then there is everyone else, the countries that achieved in reaching the finals of the competition and whose aim in the group stage is survival. This is not a level that should be beyond Ireland.
The limitations of O’Neill’s team have been obvious on occasion over the past four years, but so have their qualities.
They were regimented when beating Wales in Cardiff last October, and they stayed true to the plan in drawing away to Denmark in the first leg of their World Cup play-off the following month.
What happened in Dublin was a humiliation, but one that owed as much to a mistake by O’Neill in realigning his team at half time, as it did to the superiority of the visitors.
The Danes were distinguished by the ethereal brilliance of Christian Eriksen, but Ireland have negated teams with luminous talents before (Gareth Bale when the Welsh were in Dublin, a German team including Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller when Ireland drew 1-1 in Gelsenkirchen in 2014).
The World Cup as an indulgence for those beguiled by sport is not scarred by Ireland’s absence. The country would be en fete had O’Neill’s team qualified, but there are enough brilliant players and enough extraordinary stories to compensate. However, it does serve to remind us that not every team that reaches the tournament is good; most of them are not. Many are functional, some are plainly dreadful.
Ireland do not enjoy the advantage of having a free-scoring forward, but O’Neill will analyse plenty of teams in the coming weeks who cannot call on one, either.
But they will be defensively well put together, and some will rely on the newest tactical advances, such as a high press, to discomfit better opponents.
There is no good reason why an Irish selection under O’Neill and Keane could not utilise the pressing methods championed by Jurgen Klopp. They depend on fit players applying themselves until they are completely spent.
That wouldn’t instantly turn Ireland into contenders, but it would play to the strengths of forwards like Shane Long and James McClean.
O’Neill can be needlessly superior and dismissive, but even a twotime European Cup winner who played under Brian Clough can learn new lessons.
Ireland aren’t even an afterthought at the World Cup, but they should be at the forefront of O’Neill’s thinking. He will see teams no better than his own making far more talented opponents very uncomfortable. Great teams win the competition, but more modest sides can make themselves relevant.
There are four years to wait for it to come around again, but O’Neill has the 2020 European Championships to aim for now. The same principle applies.
Well-coached, dedicated teams can join the party, too.