Whelan gives the returning McCarthy his full backing

RONNIE WHELAN has backed Mick McCarthy to give Ireland’s fortunes a lift ahead of today’s Euro 2020 qualifying draw at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

But the Dublin native has reservations about the timescale put on McCarthy’s contract with a deal for Stephen Kenny to succeed him in 2020 already in place.

‘It surprised me the way they’ve said the two years and then Stephen in as manager. I don’t get that,’ Whelan (below) said.

‘I get what they’re doing with Mick coming in as manager and that’s great and I get Stephen Kenny being the Under-21s boss and overseeing the underage structure.

‘But it seems a little bit strange that they go “Okay, two years and then you be the manager”. I mean what if Mick wins the Euros?’ he laughed.

The Liverpool and Ireland legend will be at the centre of attention as he draws the balls to determine Ireland’s qualifying opponents later today. But regardless of what balls he picks, Whelan doesn’t believe it’s going to be a simple task to make the finals.

‘We are not the greatest team in the world so whoever we get it’s going to be difficult,’ he continued.

‘Whether we get Germany or whether we get Liechtenstein, it’s gonna be a hard one to qualify for. But I do feel there’s a nucleus of seven or eight players there. If you put them in the right system to play we have a fighting chance.’

Former boss Martin O’Neill has come in for criticism from some quarters, including within the squad since his departure and Whelan feels that another campaign was just a bridge too far.

‘We never looked like a team in the last 18 months.’ he explained.

‘Players are saying we didn’t do much, maybe an 11-a-side or a 5-aside. Those days are gone. Players now like to be told what to do. It’s a different game than when we were told in the 80s just to go and enjoy it. ‘They like to be told “When the ball’s there, you go there”. That’s what we lacked. A team on the pitch that was a team. It was just higgledy piggledy and it wasn’t happening. ‘When Jack took over the Ireland job, he said to us that you should never stay for more than three years. People get fed up listening to you. You know someone is going to shout at you but it stops bothering you. It got to the stage when they weren’t listening to Roy moaning or shouting at them any more. They talk about losing the dressing room and I’m not saying it was that but there was no fear any more

‘I’m sure when Mick goes in they’ll listen. It’s a new voice. It’s a good thing with Robbie going in. He won’t be going in shouting and screaming. He’ll be able to join in with training and get his ideas across hopefully.

‘I think it’s set up to get better. It might not get better quick enough to qualify but it’ll be better than the last 18 months.’

Whelan’s finest moment in green came at the European Championships back in 1988 when his stunning volley against Russia in a 1-1 draw only missed out on goal of the tournament after Marco van Basten’s wonder strike in the final.

Whelan remembers the scenes as hundreds of thousands of people thronged the streets when the team arrived home and believes that scenes such as that will be repeated should Ireland qualify.

‘If we qualify there’ll be street parties everywhere. It’s a huge incentive for the players to play in a European Championships in their home country. A new manager, a new beginning. Let’s go and do it.’