The old pals act driving Ireland’s Euro dream
Brady and Hendrick bond is lifting team to fresh goal
THEY were the child prodigy footballers and pals who would talk of one day pulling on the green of Ireland alongside each other.
That ambition was realised last year. Now they have a new dream — to overcome Bosnia in tomorrow’s play-off for Euro 2016 and line up together in France next summer.
Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick were team-mates from the age of six at St Kevin’s Boys FC in Dublin. There, the daring midfield dribblers shone — always seemingly destined for the professional ranks.
Brady signed for Manchester United after rejecting the advances of Liverpool — who flew him and his dad to the Champions League final of 2007 in Athens — while an in-demand Hendrick chose Derby County, where he remains.
Room-mates and best friends to this day, their bond epitomises the spirit of an Ireland side whose mental resilience outweighs their physical capabilities, something manager Martin O’Neill readily admits. However, it is Brady and Hendrick, both 23, who, in the closing months of their qualification campaign, have provided the silk to complement the steel.
Ireland were drifting towards what would have been a demoralising draw at home to Georgia in September when Hendrick, the only Championship player in the side, danced around a perplexed posse of defenders before teeing up Jon Walters for the winning goal.
He and Brady were then pitched into a midfield battle against World Cup winners Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil and emerged the victors during last month’s 1-0 triumph over Germany at the Aviva Stadium.
But it was Brady’s solo strike in the partisan surrounds of Bosnia’s Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Friday night that could yet prove the most telling contribution of all.
Accepting possession in what appeared harmless territory on the right, the now Norwich winger dropped his shoulder to escape two opponents before manipulating an angle for a shot and finding the bottom corner. Edin Dzeko equalised for Bosnia moments later but the invaluable away goal belonged to Ireland.
Hendrick was one of the few close enough to enjoy Brady’s brilliance, for the fog that had rolled in from the nearby Bosna River had threatened to abandon the contest.
‘It was a bit crazy,’ said Hendrick. ‘I have never played in conditions like that before, there was so much fog. I have played in snow and rain but never had that.
‘I was lucky enough to see Robbie’s goal but a few of them behind me didn’t see a thing. It was a great strike and he has been saying for the past few days, “I would love a goal”, so I was delighted for him.
‘We have grown up together and this is what we have always wanted to do. To play for your country is unbelievable. We have had a few years in the squad and eventually we have got our chance. The manager has shown a lot of faith in us. We are 23 so we are not kids any more, we have to show what we can do it on the pitch and prove the manager right.’
And Brady added: ‘We’ve played in every age group in every team growing up. Every game, it’s something we were growing up wanting to do. Against Georgia when he had that little run and squared it across to Jonny Walters, I just said to him, “This is the biggest stage you can do it on”. Jeff doing that was even special for me. But he said the same to me on Friday. It is amazing that we are able to share these experiences, hopefully we have more on Monday night.’
Should Shane Long fail to prove his fitness and Walters start as the lone frontman, O’Neill will again use Brady and Hendrick as his wide men at a sold-out Aviva. And that will mean tasking the pair with taking the game to the Bosnians, who need to score and so could be exposed at the back. ‘I think the message for us is that we have got to try and win the game,’ said O’Neill. That has been our attitude in every game, with the exception of Germany away where we got a draw. We have given ourselves a fantastic chance to qualify. If we don’t, I think the team have shown you from the off that it wouldn’t be for the want of trying.
‘We might lack certain things but we have enthusiasm, drive and determination.’
In Brady and Hendrick they also boast quality and that could well prove the difference as they — and Ireland — bid to realise their Euro dream.