LET’S MAC IRELAND GREAT AGAIN
Aug 2018: Wolves 1 Man City 1 Oct 2017: Man City 0 Wolves 0 Apr 2012: Wolves 0 Man City 2 Oct 2011: Man City 3 Wolves 1 Oct 2011: Wolves 2 Man City 5
Man City – 46 wins Wolves – 46 wins Draws – 26 GAFFER: McCarthy BLUE HEAVEN: Jesus with the match ball after battering Burton 9-0 KEVIN KILBANE reckons if anyone can drag Ireland out of their current mess it is Mick McCarthy.
The former Irish centurion made his debut under McCarthy during the Yorkshireman’s first spell in charge.
And after he guided The Boys in Green to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup, Kilbane believes the former Wolves and Ipswich boss has the clout to make Ireland great again.
He said: “Mick can make us have a good year, I’ve no doubt about that.” And he added: “We know that things aren’t going to change too much squad-wise.
“Who else is Mick going to choose from who was available to Martin O’Neill?
“There may be some players currently in obscurity who may emerge and become stars – but how realistic a prospect is that?
“Expectation for Mick is to get to a Euros. A year ago, we’d all have been saying, ‘We’ll make it there easily’. But after the last 12 months, people are thinking differently.” And that is because 2018 ended with Ireland winning just one game – scoring only four goals. The year before was not much better.
And even though this decade has brought about qualification for two European Championships, the performances have stunk.
Kilbane said: “Mick’s a superb man-manager, a brilliant motivator and a good tactician. And I really think that even if we don’t have the greatest players in the world right now, we do have enough talent to be a real force.”