Dependable Williams hopes to play bigger part for Ireland in battles that are still to come
AT a time when some players are hedging their international bets, Shaun Williams didn’t think twice when the call to arms came from Martin O’Neill last summer.
While his wedding was arranged for Marbella in the middle of the internationals against France and the USA, Williams quickly thought of a way around the dilemma without missing the most important match of his career.
‘When I told the manager (O’Neill) that the wedding was between the two games, he said “Look, that’s no problem, we’ll leave it and call you up for the next one,” recalled Williams.
‘I said, “No, I can play the first one, I then need a few days to get married and I’m happy to come back for the second one.” My fiancée (now wife) Sinead was looking at me on the ‘phone. I’m not sure she agreed!’
O’Neill was impressed by Williams’ commitment and gave him his first cap, as substitute, on a rain-lashed night in Paris against a French team bound for World Cup glory.
‘To play the world’s best, it was amazing,’ recalled the Malahide native. ‘The game was on a Monday and all my family were there. They flew up from Spain for the game. After it finished, I stayed the night in Paris and got married to Sinead on the Thursday.’
Had his Ireland involvement finished there, a part of Williams would have said adieu with no regrets. After all, not many outfield players get a debut cap at 31, especially not in the Stade de France.
‘Some people were asking what if I never got a call-up. I said, “Look as long as I’m playing, I’d take your head off to get a game for Ireland.” Lucky enough the call came this summer.’
The recognition was a reward for a decade’s graft, initially on the green fields of Ireland with Sporting Fingal, with whom he won the FAI Cup in 2009, and then seven years’ service in the English League, most of spent in League One. But Williams had an inkling he might get another chance and when it came, in September against Wales, he seized it, picking the pocket of Aaron Ramsey to score his first international goal.
‘When I came on [in the 56th minute for Conor Hourihane], we changed to five in midfield, so I was the sitting midfielder.
‘I spoke to Roy [Keane] afterwards about why I was so forward at the time. It was just the way the players rotated, I ended up following towards Ramsey. Lucky enough I stole it off him and scored.’
Williams has found his chats with Keane valuable, and just as there can be a pat on the head from the Irish assistant manager, there can be a kick in the backside too.
‘In the Wales game, there was an incident where a fellah come from the wing, cut back inside. I could have fouled him, but I didn’t. Roy said to me “Don’t let him come back inside. If you need to foul him, foul him.” I brought that into my club game as well. I’m the defensive midfielder, the guy protecting the back four, so I shouldn’t be letting a player get by me in that situation,’ said the 32year-old.
Williams made his 350th senior appearance in English football last weekend. It slipped by almost unnoticed, outweighed by a goalrush ending to Millwall’s game at Norwich.
In some ways, it was a reflection on Williams’ career. He was going about his business without fuss, while madness erupted around him in the shape of five late goals, two of them for the Canaries in stoppage time to win 4-3.
Along the way, he has policed the area in front of the back four, for MK Dons and Millwall with diligence. Always a keen student of situations, he invariably arrives at the scene to snuff out danger.
Like Franz Beckenbauer, Williams may not be the quickest from A to B, but he doesn’t always start at A.
‘I think I read the game quite well,’ said Williams.
‘I don’t have the legs, never had the legs. I’m left-footed but if needs be I’ll go with the right. Passing is definitely one of my strengths and reading the game too.
‘I might be one of the players who doesn’t get headlines, but I’m a team player. If someone needs covering, I’m there. I think that’s why I’ve played so many games at Millwall. I know the way we play and the manager [Neil Harris] trusts me.’
So far, O’Neill has yet to fully trust Williams, who was left on the bench for the double-header last month and against the North last Thursday.
But with Glenn Whelan out of the frame, Jeff Hendrick struggling for form and David Meyler unable to make the bench at Reading, Williams may be thrust forward in Aarhus against the Danes tomorrow.
He has never played in Denmark before but knows what talents Christian Eriksen brings to the Danish table.
‘I played against him in the quarter-finals of the [2017] FA Cup at White Hart Lane. It was the last cup tie played there, and he was world class. We [Millwall] took a heavy one that day, hit us for six. He’s a phenomenal player for his club and country. If I was to play, I’d be up against him.’