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6th November 2013
04:33pm GMT
Conor Heneghan says... In terms of the most profound moments in the relatively recent history of Irish football, the appointment of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane to the managerial ticket is right up there. Not just in the history of Irish football, for that matter, but in the recent history of Irish sport. Yes, it really is that big a deal.
O’Neill (the favourite) and Keane (a middling to long-odds shot) had been touted as potential Irish managers since Giovanni Trapattoni departed the role and to get even one on them on board would have been a significant development. To combine the two of them in one package is arguably the biggest coup in the history of the FAI and one they deserve massive credit for.
Irish football has rarely been in as dire need of a boost, a spark, a good-news story as we are at the moment. Last month, we tumbled to an all-time low in the FIFA rankings; the public had fallen out of love with the team in the final throes of the Trapattoni era and watching the Boys in Green in action had almost become a chore – witness the paltry crowd that turned up at the Aviva for the Kazakhstan game last month.
The players, too, were beginning to become disaffected and a realisation began to set in that something drastic was required to restore our love affair with Irish football. There have been some momentous moments in Irish sport over the years but few things command the attention of a nation like the appearance of our footballers in a major tournament and when it does happen, no other sport can compete. Unfortunately, that will have to wait for at least another two and a half years but in the meantime, the need to get people talking about the Irish football team in a positive light was palpable.
Whether O’Neill and Keane will be a success remains to be seen but there is no doubt that there is a sense of giddy excitement amongst Irish fans at the moment. We’re even looking forward to a meaningless friendly against Latvia in the middle of November for God’s sake. When did you think you’d ever hear anyone say that?
There is plenty of reason for caution, of course. Personally, I had and have reservations about Ireland's style of play under O’Neill and a number of question marks hang over Keane, not least his temperament, his ability to work as a number two, his past relationship with the FAI and his often withering comments about the Irish team and supporters in the recent past.
A quick scan of social media will tell you that some of the more partisan elements of the Irish support will never forgive Keane for what happened in Saipan all those years ago, readily forgetting that he actually returned to play for Ireland under Brian Kerr a few years later.
On the other hand, both men’s ability to inspire others is not in doubt and, although they were hardly likely to express negative thoughts on the matter, the reaction of a handful of Irish players so far has been positive.
Yes, there is an element of risk behind the appointment and it shouldn’t be forgotten that O’Neill and Keane will be working with the same group of players that have been decidedly uninspiring in their most recent encounters. But now it’s a new era and a fresh start and the fact that qualification for the Euros will be a lot easier from now on serves to increase optimism ahead of the new campaign.
Making the right appointment from a football point of view was important for the FAI but one of their primary concerns would have been to create and restore a sense of excitement when it comes to the Irish football.
With the appointment of O’Neill and Keane they have done just that.
Declan Whooley says... Martin O’Neill failed to justify his spend at Sunderland when he departed last season staring down the barrel of relegation, while Roy Keane has been out of management for 32 months since he left Ipswich Town in 21st place in the Championship. You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t buy into the hype just yet.
Now that statement doesn’t take into account the full achievements of either man, but as players are always reminded they are judged on their most recent form – only as good as your last game and all that – applying the same managerial criteria here you would have to say that the hype, in pure footballing terms, has been a little over the top.
There is no doubt Roy Keane is box office. I would never put myself through the torture of listening to Adrian Chiles on ITV were it not for the Cork man next to him. His bluntness and refusal to tow the party line is compelling, but will he rein it in for his new role? He struggled as a manager with this aspect and has had more than his fair share of player run-ins, but O’Neill is the head honcho and whether Keane’s traits can work as a number two will be intriguing.
O’Neill has an impressive CV – we’d certainly take his 51 per cent winning rate – but what were the other realistic options that Ray Houghton and Ruud Dokter decided were available? Mick McCarthy would have been popular, but aside from him, what other candidates did the FAI have? Then again, two unemployed managers looking to repair their reputation fits the bill just nicely.
The criteria set for the unlikely duo isn’t too inspiring either. A lucrative two year-deal will be extended on the back of qualification for the 2016 Euros, the same championship that will feature 24 teams. UEFA has 54 members, so no matter how poor we are/have been, there is always worse; Andorra, Malta, San Marino, Faroe Islands etc. Qualification should not be a success, it should be an expectation, despite our stock having fallen in recent times.
One of the legacies of the Trap reign is that we have become perhaps almost too cynical – quite an achievement for an Irish person – of the quality of our players. While we don’t possess many world beaters, we have more than enough in our ranks to be more than competitive at this level. 20 Irish players have played in the Premier League this season and in Coleman, McCarthy, Gibson and Brady we have the nucleus of a team playing far below its potential. Never mind certain players returning from international exile.
Switzerland, for example, are currently ranked seventh in the world, heading to the World Cup and not exactly bursting at the seams with star quality. Apologies in advance to all Philippe Senderos fans.
The point being that international football is as much based on a cohesive unit and organisation as anything else, leaving aside Germany, Spain and perhaps Argentina. Martin O’Neill has displayed this at Wycombe, Leicester, Celtic and for a while at Villa, but that was on a day-to-day basis. Accusations of not keeping up to pace with the modern game and player considerations have been levelled at him, similar to Trap of course, but time will soon tell if his methods will be well received by the Irish squad.
The renewed optimism is a great thing for Irish football and talk of a full house for Latvia is welcoming, but there are so many grounds for concern that I can’t yet buy into the hype.
If they pull this off, it will have been a masterstroke by the FAI, the outlay will be justified and joyous crowds will return once again to Explore more on these topics:
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