If I were to hazard a guess, the majority of the articles on this blog are about the Irish national football team. What can I say! These articles give me the chance to further examine something that's a huge part of my life. Something that has given immense joy over the years.
Romanticising the celebrations, painting pictures to these scenes,
emphasising the civic duty that comes with following the Boys In Green. Mostly I am trying to comprehend into articles, moments that have left me speechless and
nothing short of an emotional wreck. I also have no issue describing the trials
and tribulations this Irish football fan has gone through over the years, only
to give meaning and gravitas to the moments where things go right for Ireland.
Since the days that I started going to Ireland games regularly (circa 2011)
I’ve experienced my equal share of pain and joy, maybe more of the latter. And
for that I am blessed. Shane Long, Jonathan Walters, fog, Polska, the Euro’s
and Lille. I could go on and on. The same goes for setbacks, be it 6-1,
Belgium, Glasgow in that November and so on.
Ahead of this Sundays crucial qualifier against Austria however, my mind can only summon one negative thought to keep my feet grounded, even though Ireland sit joint first in Group D.
In March 2013, I travelled to Sweden on my first proper away trip after the 2012 Euro’s in Poland. You could essentially call it my first away trip seeing as it was outside of a major tournament but overall it was memorable trip. The weather in the minus, the beautiful scenery, immersing myself into the away culture once again. The trip culminated in a 0-0 draw in the Friends Arena in Stockholm, a result unexpected and only positive for Ireland. Taking points off rivals for qualification away from home gave us great heart for the rest of the campaign. In their first three games, Ireland had robbed three points in Kazakhstan, suffered humiliation at home to Germany and a few days later laboured to a 4-1 victory in the Faroes Islands. This was the first positive performance we had in some time and we returned home buoyed ahead of our next qualifier. However, it wasn’t going to be easy. Austria were no pushovers. Austria had previous with Ireland. Austria had 7 points and Austria had David Alaba.
Having started an internship with the Connacht GAA the week previous (jetting off to Sweden on only my 2nd day of their employment), I had reasoned with myself that it would not be feasible fair or wise to travel to Dublin the following Tuesday for the home qualifier against the Austrians. However, in what would be my first of these lessons in years to come, no amount of logic or low funds will make your absence from an Ireland qualifier any easier to bare. I felt sick to be honest, sick with jealousy seeing the crowd, hearing the atmosphere, the posts on Facebook etc.. I was only days removed from singing the usual repertoire of Irish chants and making friends I’d still be talking to this day. The trip to Sweden only confirmed that this author would be going to Ireland games home and away, permitting finances and days off and his general good health. I sat down and tuned into RTE’s live coverage, something I thought I’d never survive without before. This time however, it left me annoyed. Eamon Dunphy went through the starting team that night and lamented the absence of Wes Hoolahan. Using his populist approach, his words irked me to a degree that I find embarrassing today, knowing the immense quality Hoolahan provides to Ireland on matchday.
Back then however, I was devoutly in favour of Giovanni Trapattoni and his management style. It was not pretty, it was easy on the eye and summoned the devoted nationalistic pride inside me to support but it had for the most part got Ireland results. The Euro’s the previous summer were an unprecedented disaster for Ireland in major competition and was the beginning of the end for the Italians time in charge. On the 26th March however, Ireland were level with Austria in 3rd place in the group, one point behind 2nd placed Sweden. Germany were running away with things at the top but after that draw in Stockholm, Ireland had given themselves a much needed boost. Backed up with a home win against Austria, it would give us the momentum going into the final five games in the group. I felt positive, I felt hopeful once more.
Did I feel confident? I can’t remember but Ciaran Clark felt the nerves to some degree when taking possession of the football ten minutes in. His first touch resembled Junior football and allowed Martin Harnik to run straight through on goal and put the Austrians in front. Another setback. Now we were really going to find out what we were made of. Up front, we had Shane Long but we also had Conor Sammon. The Dubliner’s sudden emergence in matchday squads had left Irish fans dumbfounded. Kevin Doyle had been out of form since the previous summer and was struggling to recapture it but many felt he was still a better option than Sammon, who had no International goals to his name. For all his endeavour and effort, he did not deliver what we needed up front. Long, on the other hand, did. Midway through the first half, he latched onto to a Sammon knockdown and got to the byline. Checking back, he was caught needlessly by Emmanuel Pogatetz and Ireland were given a penalty. Walters stepped up, buried it and parity had been restored. Long nearly made it 2-1 with a clever backheel that hit the post but it would be Walters again who did put Ireland a goal up with a header just before half-time.
We were back in the ascendency. The RTE panel at half-time now asked the must sought after question about Irish teams under Trapattoni and indeed Irish football. Would we kick on from this or settle for a draw? Numerous times in the past, we had made life difficult for oursekves to no end as we sat back on our leads. We would struggle against weaker teams and be punished by the better ones. It seemed like a mindset that we simply could not shake off. We’d have to be losing before we would come out fighting, showing our true qualities. For the first part of that second half, we revert to type and invite Austria to test David Forde in goal. The more we retreat, the more I lean on the edge of my seat in agony and anticipation. Watching games at home is now alien to me and I do not find myself comfortable, even through I’m on my 3rd can of Carlsberg. Against the run of play, we create two superb chances. The first a header from Long that produces a world class save from Heinz Linder in goal. The second follows from the resulting corner where Marc Wilson flashes another header wide of the target. That relief injection evades us and so we continue to hold on for dear life with 20 minutes remaining.
It’s not easy on the heart, body or mind. Long is replaced by Paul Green in a move designed to fortify our defences. It will do little to alleviate the oncoming pressure but in the hope it shore up the midfield, Trapattoni is closing this game out in true Italian fashion. And in Italy, that might just be grand but this is Ireland, and we’ve a history of fucking things up late on when winning by a goal. Injury time has begun, Arnautovic has a great chance from eight yards out but the ball is cleared. You ask yourself is that Austria’s last chance? You soon find the answer. David Alaba has done nothing of note since coming close with a free-kick in the third minute but 90 minutes later finds himself in space 25 yards out from goal. He has room to shape himself for a shot that deflects off the foot of John O’Shea ever so slighty and loops over Forde in goal. 2-2 with the last kick of the game. Austria leave Dublin with a point and the pendulum swings once more.
Whatever pendulum did swing in the group when Alaba scored was nothing compared to the magnitude of that stabbing sensation in my stomach as I fell out of my chair in despair. Not since Henry had handled his way to an assist in Paris had I felt this pain. It was as if George Hamilton’s words as he uttered “Alaba’s shotttt” had jagged edges for every syllable. My father sitting beside me simply groaned in disgust, just to hammer home the reality. I was flat out on the floor, facing away from the television, unable to comprehend the devastation. The ground collectively moaned in anguish. We all knew it was coming but it was no easier to handle especially with the final whistle just seconds away. In terms of the campaign, Ireland had lost two points and any initiative they might have had before kick-off. There was still a lot of football to be played at the halfway stage of the campaign but in my mind and my heart I was crushed. All the hope I had cultivated from our result in Sweden, those hastily reconstructed dreams of going to Brazil were now up in smoke (to quote Hamilton after the goal).
Late goals against your team are never going to be acceptable or easy to bare. Some of us have never gotten over Straveski in Macedonia while those of an older generation will never forgive Eric Gerets for denying Ireland a place in the 1982 World Cup with a last minute header. For me, this one remains embedded in darkest part of my mind. While Ireland always seemed to be outside contenders for that playoff spot, I was still massively disappointed we didn’t qualify for the 2014 World Cup. We may still have not qualified if we had beaten Austria that night, as they only finished 3rd behind Sweden. The Swedish then proceeded to lose to Portugal in the playoffs. Wishful thinking would allow you to think that was the night it all fell apart. The truth was that was a campaign too far for Trapattoni, who didn’t even finish it out in charge. He resigned after the return fixture in Vienna where, once again, David Alaba “broke Irish hearts” (to quote Hamilton again) with another late goal.
Four years on and at the halfway stage of this World Cup qualifying campaign, Ireland find themselves at home to Austria again. However, the situation could not be any more different than in 2013. We are joint top of the table on 11 points with Serbia. Austria and Wales are four points behind us on seven. Much like our last game against the Welsh, we enter the match with the chance to effectively signal the end of our opponent’s qualification prospects. Austria have been unimpressive in their first five games, still suffering a hangover from their poor showing in last summer’s European Championships in France. With Austria in the midst of an injury and suspension crisis, the aura that once surrounded this Austria side as one to be feared and respected. This was further confirmed when the sides met in November. A stunning James McClean goal, the power of which went a long way to erasing any bad memories of the past, gave Ireland a historic win away in Vienna.
Austria come into this game knowing anything but a win will leave their dreams of going to Russia all but over. You would sense that being in that situation of your backs up against the wall that it would galvanise your team but the general mood around the Austrian national team remains one of disarray. This can be best highlighted by the fact that Red Bull Salzburg full back Andreas Ulmer, who was due to be called up to the squad for the qualifier, has decided to forego participation to get married instead. I wish him the best of luck and years of happiness in the future but this is something you would never see happen with an Irish player whatsoever. Kevin Long, a new call-up to the Irish national team, has skipped his own brother’s wedding at the chance of being involved. Seamus Coleman, still recovering from that broken leg he suffered against Wales, didn’t let his own wedding clash with our qualifier against Scotland this time two years ago. The confidence and self-belief within the Austrian squad would seem to be at an all-time low but one manager Martin O’Neill is not taking for granted.
It is matter of opinion whether Ireland consolidated their advantage or missed an opportunity in drawing 0-0 with Wales last March. Only time will tell but at this stage of the campaign, Ireland cannot afford to let any advantage slip by. Facing into the first of three home games left in their schedule, we need to maintain what advantage we do have to give ourselves a chance of qualifying automatically for a tournament for the first time in 24 years. While some, maybe most, would take a play-off to qualify for Russia next summer, Ireland find themselves in rare territory in joint first place and it is not without merit. Unlike our opponents, Ireland have gotten stronger since the Euro’s, with the strength in depth available to O’Neill at a level he has never seen better before. We will find ourselves without the aforementioned Coleman but in his place Cyrus Christie has stepped up to prove himself an able deputy. Stephen Ward has survived an injury scare during the week, taking full part in training on Friday. The only question will be whether John O’Shea, who hasn’t featured in either of two friendlies preceeded this game, will start in defence. Shane Duffy and Richard Keogh would be my own preferred selection. The absence of Shane Long is a blow but it is likely Walters, who scored a superb goal in the 3-1 victory against Uruguay last Sunday, will fill the void in favour of Daryl Murphy. McClean once again showed the hunger and passion that has endeared to the country with a carbon copy effort of his goal against Austria in the Uruguay clash last week too. We may have lost our all-time record goalscorer to retirement last year but the display in last weekend’s friendly has buoyed us all with a confidence that we will score goals, regardless of who is on the field.
Instead of worrying about who will provide the firepower, it is the debate about who will stop it at the other end that dominates pre-match discussion. Darren Randolph is coming off a season where he lost his form and eventually the No.1 spot at West Ham. And against Uruguay he was culpable for allowing Uruguay equalise in the first half. He showed poor judgment in coming off his line to challenge for a cross, getting caught in no mans land and letting Jose Gimenez nod home into an empty net. Contrasted with the form of Keiran Westwood, who came into the game in the 2nd half and made a fine save to keep Ireland ahead, many believe O’Neill will drop Randolph for the Sheffield Wednesday keeper. I thought it was strange Randolph started against Uruguay considering he played the full 90 against Mexico in New York. And although Ireland lost 3-1 that night, you could not fault Randolph for any of the Mexican goals. He was poor for the Gimenez goal the next day but at least it was last Sunday and not this Sunday, he'll learn from it going forward. Club form doesn't always translate to international football. Three years ago, Irish No.1 David Forde and his club Millwall were languishing in the Championship before being relegated to League One. This was never a factor in Forde's displays in two away games to Germany, especially in 2014. Now Forde was dropped for Shay Given in the following qualifier at home to Poland a few months later. Given was hardly setting the world alight at Villa sitting on the bench at the time and got injured in the return fixture against Germany in October 2015. Instead of Forde coming onto replace him, it was Randolph who took over. The rest is history.
O'Neill is obviously seeing a lot more in training than we are and it will play a bigger part in selection than people think. At least if his previous selections are anything to go by. Some supporters will never be convinced about Randolph starting for Ireland. I have always been a fan since that Germany encounter and he has done enough up to this point to retain the starting spot. It’s up to him to keep it. I don't see what form he had coming into the Germany game that October but he's never looked back since. At the same time, I would not be entirely surprised if O’Neill does opt for Westwood on Sunday. At this stage of his time in charge of Ireland, you would be foolish not to back his judgment. The welcome return of Robbie Brady adds greater depth to our options in midfield. Harry Arter must be a guaranteed inclusion given his performance in the return fixture in Vienna and last Sunday in the Uruguay friendly. I feel he can influence the game to the same extent as Wes Hoolahan so there is no great need to start them both. However, it would be no harm if O’Neill decided to do that. Just how much he fears the threat of Alaba and co. or his faith in our ability to cause them problems will be signalled by who starts in midfield. The presence of Glenn Whelan will depend on that alone. In reserve, you also Aiden McGeady, Preston North End’s player of the year and his club team-mate Daryl Horgan as viable attacking threats to come off the bench at any stage.
With Wales playing Serbia on Sunday, a win on Sunday would give Ireland a crucial advantage with four games remaining. The top two teams could find themselves seven points of their nearest challengers and effectively play a mini tournament amongst themselves to decide who finished first. Much like Austria, it’s imperative for Wales to win on Sunday too but they will have to do so without their talismanic superstar Gareth Bale. First and foremost though, Ireland have a job to do on Sunday. They need to capitalise on the advantage in front of them and not sit back. History has shown us what sitting back will eventually do to us. The alternative is to believe in ourselves and our ability as a team. We cannot hold back. Picture the reaction you'd get if you sat with James McClean and told him to stay calm. That man is an epitome of what every Irish fan in the Aviva tomorrow would give to the jersey if we were so fortunate to get the chance.
He done it in Vienna, and you bet your life he wants to do it in Dublin tomorrow too.
Ahead of this Sundays crucial qualifier against Austria however, my mind can only summon one negative thought to keep my feet grounded, even though Ireland sit joint first in Group D.
In March 2013, I travelled to Sweden on my first proper away trip after the 2012 Euro’s in Poland. You could essentially call it my first away trip seeing as it was outside of a major tournament but overall it was memorable trip. The weather in the minus, the beautiful scenery, immersing myself into the away culture once again. The trip culminated in a 0-0 draw in the Friends Arena in Stockholm, a result unexpected and only positive for Ireland. Taking points off rivals for qualification away from home gave us great heart for the rest of the campaign. In their first three games, Ireland had robbed three points in Kazakhstan, suffered humiliation at home to Germany and a few days later laboured to a 4-1 victory in the Faroes Islands. This was the first positive performance we had in some time and we returned home buoyed ahead of our next qualifier. However, it wasn’t going to be easy. Austria were no pushovers. Austria had previous with Ireland. Austria had 7 points and Austria had David Alaba.
Having started an internship with the Connacht GAA the week previous (jetting off to Sweden on only my 2nd day of their employment), I had reasoned with myself that it would not be feasible fair or wise to travel to Dublin the following Tuesday for the home qualifier against the Austrians. However, in what would be my first of these lessons in years to come, no amount of logic or low funds will make your absence from an Ireland qualifier any easier to bare. I felt sick to be honest, sick with jealousy seeing the crowd, hearing the atmosphere, the posts on Facebook etc.. I was only days removed from singing the usual repertoire of Irish chants and making friends I’d still be talking to this day. The trip to Sweden only confirmed that this author would be going to Ireland games home and away, permitting finances and days off and his general good health. I sat down and tuned into RTE’s live coverage, something I thought I’d never survive without before. This time however, it left me annoyed. Eamon Dunphy went through the starting team that night and lamented the absence of Wes Hoolahan. Using his populist approach, his words irked me to a degree that I find embarrassing today, knowing the immense quality Hoolahan provides to Ireland on matchday.
Back then however, I was devoutly in favour of Giovanni Trapattoni and his management style. It was not pretty, it was easy on the eye and summoned the devoted nationalistic pride inside me to support but it had for the most part got Ireland results. The Euro’s the previous summer were an unprecedented disaster for Ireland in major competition and was the beginning of the end for the Italians time in charge. On the 26th March however, Ireland were level with Austria in 3rd place in the group, one point behind 2nd placed Sweden. Germany were running away with things at the top but after that draw in Stockholm, Ireland had given themselves a much needed boost. Backed up with a home win against Austria, it would give us the momentum going into the final five games in the group. I felt positive, I felt hopeful once more.
Did I feel confident? I can’t remember but Ciaran Clark felt the nerves to some degree when taking possession of the football ten minutes in. His first touch resembled Junior football and allowed Martin Harnik to run straight through on goal and put the Austrians in front. Another setback. Now we were really going to find out what we were made of. Up front, we had Shane Long but we also had Conor Sammon. The Dubliner’s sudden emergence in matchday squads had left Irish fans dumbfounded. Kevin Doyle had been out of form since the previous summer and was struggling to recapture it but many felt he was still a better option than Sammon, who had no International goals to his name. For all his endeavour and effort, he did not deliver what we needed up front. Long, on the other hand, did. Midway through the first half, he latched onto to a Sammon knockdown and got to the byline. Checking back, he was caught needlessly by Emmanuel Pogatetz and Ireland were given a penalty. Walters stepped up, buried it and parity had been restored. Long nearly made it 2-1 with a clever backheel that hit the post but it would be Walters again who did put Ireland a goal up with a header just before half-time.
We were back in the ascendency. The RTE panel at half-time now asked the must sought after question about Irish teams under Trapattoni and indeed Irish football. Would we kick on from this or settle for a draw? Numerous times in the past, we had made life difficult for oursekves to no end as we sat back on our leads. We would struggle against weaker teams and be punished by the better ones. It seemed like a mindset that we simply could not shake off. We’d have to be losing before we would come out fighting, showing our true qualities. For the first part of that second half, we revert to type and invite Austria to test David Forde in goal. The more we retreat, the more I lean on the edge of my seat in agony and anticipation. Watching games at home is now alien to me and I do not find myself comfortable, even through I’m on my 3rd can of Carlsberg. Against the run of play, we create two superb chances. The first a header from Long that produces a world class save from Heinz Linder in goal. The second follows from the resulting corner where Marc Wilson flashes another header wide of the target. That relief injection evades us and so we continue to hold on for dear life with 20 minutes remaining.
It’s not easy on the heart, body or mind. Long is replaced by Paul Green in a move designed to fortify our defences. It will do little to alleviate the oncoming pressure but in the hope it shore up the midfield, Trapattoni is closing this game out in true Italian fashion. And in Italy, that might just be grand but this is Ireland, and we’ve a history of fucking things up late on when winning by a goal. Injury time has begun, Arnautovic has a great chance from eight yards out but the ball is cleared. You ask yourself is that Austria’s last chance? You soon find the answer. David Alaba has done nothing of note since coming close with a free-kick in the third minute but 90 minutes later finds himself in space 25 yards out from goal. He has room to shape himself for a shot that deflects off the foot of John O’Shea ever so slighty and loops over Forde in goal. 2-2 with the last kick of the game. Austria leave Dublin with a point and the pendulum swings once more.
Whatever pendulum did swing in the group when Alaba scored was nothing compared to the magnitude of that stabbing sensation in my stomach as I fell out of my chair in despair. Not since Henry had handled his way to an assist in Paris had I felt this pain. It was as if George Hamilton’s words as he uttered “Alaba’s shotttt” had jagged edges for every syllable. My father sitting beside me simply groaned in disgust, just to hammer home the reality. I was flat out on the floor, facing away from the television, unable to comprehend the devastation. The ground collectively moaned in anguish. We all knew it was coming but it was no easier to handle especially with the final whistle just seconds away. In terms of the campaign, Ireland had lost two points and any initiative they might have had before kick-off. There was still a lot of football to be played at the halfway stage of the campaign but in my mind and my heart I was crushed. All the hope I had cultivated from our result in Sweden, those hastily reconstructed dreams of going to Brazil were now up in smoke (to quote Hamilton after the goal).
Late goals against your team are never going to be acceptable or easy to bare. Some of us have never gotten over Straveski in Macedonia while those of an older generation will never forgive Eric Gerets for denying Ireland a place in the 1982 World Cup with a last minute header. For me, this one remains embedded in darkest part of my mind. While Ireland always seemed to be outside contenders for that playoff spot, I was still massively disappointed we didn’t qualify for the 2014 World Cup. We may still have not qualified if we had beaten Austria that night, as they only finished 3rd behind Sweden. The Swedish then proceeded to lose to Portugal in the playoffs. Wishful thinking would allow you to think that was the night it all fell apart. The truth was that was a campaign too far for Trapattoni, who didn’t even finish it out in charge. He resigned after the return fixture in Vienna where, once again, David Alaba “broke Irish hearts” (to quote Hamilton again) with another late goal.
Four years on and at the halfway stage of this World Cup qualifying campaign, Ireland find themselves at home to Austria again. However, the situation could not be any more different than in 2013. We are joint top of the table on 11 points with Serbia. Austria and Wales are four points behind us on seven. Much like our last game against the Welsh, we enter the match with the chance to effectively signal the end of our opponent’s qualification prospects. Austria have been unimpressive in their first five games, still suffering a hangover from their poor showing in last summer’s European Championships in France. With Austria in the midst of an injury and suspension crisis, the aura that once surrounded this Austria side as one to be feared and respected. This was further confirmed when the sides met in November. A stunning James McClean goal, the power of which went a long way to erasing any bad memories of the past, gave Ireland a historic win away in Vienna.
Austria come into this game knowing anything but a win will leave their dreams of going to Russia all but over. You would sense that being in that situation of your backs up against the wall that it would galvanise your team but the general mood around the Austrian national team remains one of disarray. This can be best highlighted by the fact that Red Bull Salzburg full back Andreas Ulmer, who was due to be called up to the squad for the qualifier, has decided to forego participation to get married instead. I wish him the best of luck and years of happiness in the future but this is something you would never see happen with an Irish player whatsoever. Kevin Long, a new call-up to the Irish national team, has skipped his own brother’s wedding at the chance of being involved. Seamus Coleman, still recovering from that broken leg he suffered against Wales, didn’t let his own wedding clash with our qualifier against Scotland this time two years ago. The confidence and self-belief within the Austrian squad would seem to be at an all-time low but one manager Martin O’Neill is not taking for granted.
It is matter of opinion whether Ireland consolidated their advantage or missed an opportunity in drawing 0-0 with Wales last March. Only time will tell but at this stage of the campaign, Ireland cannot afford to let any advantage slip by. Facing into the first of three home games left in their schedule, we need to maintain what advantage we do have to give ourselves a chance of qualifying automatically for a tournament for the first time in 24 years. While some, maybe most, would take a play-off to qualify for Russia next summer, Ireland find themselves in rare territory in joint first place and it is not without merit. Unlike our opponents, Ireland have gotten stronger since the Euro’s, with the strength in depth available to O’Neill at a level he has never seen better before. We will find ourselves without the aforementioned Coleman but in his place Cyrus Christie has stepped up to prove himself an able deputy. Stephen Ward has survived an injury scare during the week, taking full part in training on Friday. The only question will be whether John O’Shea, who hasn’t featured in either of two friendlies preceeded this game, will start in defence. Shane Duffy and Richard Keogh would be my own preferred selection. The absence of Shane Long is a blow but it is likely Walters, who scored a superb goal in the 3-1 victory against Uruguay last Sunday, will fill the void in favour of Daryl Murphy. McClean once again showed the hunger and passion that has endeared to the country with a carbon copy effort of his goal against Austria in the Uruguay clash last week too. We may have lost our all-time record goalscorer to retirement last year but the display in last weekend’s friendly has buoyed us all with a confidence that we will score goals, regardless of who is on the field.
Instead of worrying about who will provide the firepower, it is the debate about who will stop it at the other end that dominates pre-match discussion. Darren Randolph is coming off a season where he lost his form and eventually the No.1 spot at West Ham. And against Uruguay he was culpable for allowing Uruguay equalise in the first half. He showed poor judgment in coming off his line to challenge for a cross, getting caught in no mans land and letting Jose Gimenez nod home into an empty net. Contrasted with the form of Keiran Westwood, who came into the game in the 2nd half and made a fine save to keep Ireland ahead, many believe O’Neill will drop Randolph for the Sheffield Wednesday keeper. I thought it was strange Randolph started against Uruguay considering he played the full 90 against Mexico in New York. And although Ireland lost 3-1 that night, you could not fault Randolph for any of the Mexican goals. He was poor for the Gimenez goal the next day but at least it was last Sunday and not this Sunday, he'll learn from it going forward. Club form doesn't always translate to international football. Three years ago, Irish No.1 David Forde and his club Millwall were languishing in the Championship before being relegated to League One. This was never a factor in Forde's displays in two away games to Germany, especially in 2014. Now Forde was dropped for Shay Given in the following qualifier at home to Poland a few months later. Given was hardly setting the world alight at Villa sitting on the bench at the time and got injured in the return fixture against Germany in October 2015. Instead of Forde coming onto replace him, it was Randolph who took over. The rest is history.
O'Neill is obviously seeing a lot more in training than we are and it will play a bigger part in selection than people think. At least if his previous selections are anything to go by. Some supporters will never be convinced about Randolph starting for Ireland. I have always been a fan since that Germany encounter and he has done enough up to this point to retain the starting spot. It’s up to him to keep it. I don't see what form he had coming into the Germany game that October but he's never looked back since. At the same time, I would not be entirely surprised if O’Neill does opt for Westwood on Sunday. At this stage of his time in charge of Ireland, you would be foolish not to back his judgment. The welcome return of Robbie Brady adds greater depth to our options in midfield. Harry Arter must be a guaranteed inclusion given his performance in the return fixture in Vienna and last Sunday in the Uruguay friendly. I feel he can influence the game to the same extent as Wes Hoolahan so there is no great need to start them both. However, it would be no harm if O’Neill decided to do that. Just how much he fears the threat of Alaba and co. or his faith in our ability to cause them problems will be signalled by who starts in midfield. The presence of Glenn Whelan will depend on that alone. In reserve, you also Aiden McGeady, Preston North End’s player of the year and his club team-mate Daryl Horgan as viable attacking threats to come off the bench at any stage.
With Wales playing Serbia on Sunday, a win on Sunday would give Ireland a crucial advantage with four games remaining. The top two teams could find themselves seven points of their nearest challengers and effectively play a mini tournament amongst themselves to decide who finished first. Much like Austria, it’s imperative for Wales to win on Sunday too but they will have to do so without their talismanic superstar Gareth Bale. First and foremost though, Ireland have a job to do on Sunday. They need to capitalise on the advantage in front of them and not sit back. History has shown us what sitting back will eventually do to us. The alternative is to believe in ourselves and our ability as a team. We cannot hold back. Picture the reaction you'd get if you sat with James McClean and told him to stay calm. That man is an epitome of what every Irish fan in the Aviva tomorrow would give to the jersey if we were so fortunate to get the chance.
He done it in Vienna, and you bet your life he wants to do it in Dublin tomorrow too.
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