A real Irish backstop...

THE Irish backstop has always sounded like some sort of cynical Roy Keane-style tackle to prevent marauding wing-backs causing havoc down the flanks.

Well, to be sure, that backstop will be required twice this week.

First on Thursday night in the Nether regions where the rejuvenated Dutch flyers take on Michael O’Neill’s Ulstermen.

And then on Saturday afternoon when Mick McCarthy’s team will have Georgia on their minds.

If Boris Johnson is reading this column – as he invariably does in between pillow talk with Jennifer... er, I mean Carrie... er, I mean Donald – he may well get in touch with Keano to see whether he can use his backstop in addition to the PM’s two others, one of which is mooted to be in the Irish Sea.

But whatever purported Brexit deal – yeah, right, Boris – it will offer little succour to Mr O’Neill’s men in Europe against Holland. But then whenever I say something like that,

the opposite occurs. Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate clearly does not envisage a reality Czech, what with all the youngsters lined up for Friday.

On form, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori certainly deserve starts and it would be good to see James Maddison in the seniors, too.

Having drubbed them 5-0 at Wembley in the first Euro 2020 qualifer, it should be more bouncing Czechs for The Waistcoated One.