Rodgers deserves another season.

It has almost been a week since the final whistle was blown at Wembley. And a lot has been said about the future of Liverpool FC and Brendan Rodgers. In the midst of dramatic overreactions, I decided to let things calm down and form an opinion with substance. Some couldn’t wait as long as I and have been demanding change, mainly without explanation or reasoning. Rodgers needs to go, now. He is not going anywhere. Jurgen Klopp was name checked more times than I can care to recall yet for all his charisma and his CV, it’s not one name I have been uttering in search of clarity regarding the future of Liverpool FC.

What exactly is wrong with Liverpool right now? Is it the manager, the players, the owners? And to what extent are things so wrong with Liverpool that you have fans questioning these things? Precisely this time one year ago, no Liverpool fan would dare question the direction the club was going and the people behind that. And while the situation one year on is a marked contrast, it’s funny to see opinions change so drastically. Football is like that however. Even Rodgers himself said in jest that “Three months ago I was a tactical genius, performing to a good level.  We lost some important games and now I’m not so good. That’s football, people will speculate”.

There is one reason why the top clubs in Europe, those with established success, stay successful over time. With the right direction on and off the field, a marquee club in Europe can overcome any rocky period in its history. For example, Juventus are on the verge of reaching their first European final in 12 years, nine years after being demoted to the second tier in Italian football for their in a match fixing scandal. They are the most dominant club in Italy with no signs of their success abating any time soon. Juventus have the right people on both sides and have been building towards their return to the pinnacle of European football for some time now. I’m not here to point out where Liverpool have gone wrong over the last 25 years in that regard. I wouldn’t have time! Yet I think one question the fans have to ask themselves is what good will changing of management and even the players will bring to the club? How many rebuilding programmes do you want to experience before you settle for one you like? None of them tend to be pretty at their worst and require one thing I rarely see in a Liverpool fan, patience. Questions do need to be asked, mostly of this season alone but taking into everything that has gone on I do not believe terminating Rodgers contract will be of any of short or long term benefit to the club.

Who was at fault on Sunday? I think blame comes in equal proportions. Rodgers may have selected the players, but it doesn’t explain some of the really inept performances given by some of them. I’m looking at Gerrard, Henderson, and Markovic in this regard but it’s hard to argue that any player really played well. People will point to the numerous formation switches Rodgers made in the game (which I will get to in a moment) and while that didn’t help the players, the players didn’t help themselves. I saw no passion, no urgency, and no desire to get on the ball or show for it last Sunday. It was as insipid a performance you can see in a semi-final. And whose fault is that exactly? The players can’t hide behind the manager when they don’t perform. One explanation offered after full-time is that these players aren’t experienced enough to grasp the big occasion. And that is something I think is bullshit. Jack Grealish, 19 years old, starting only his fifth game for Aston Villa was absolutely fearless on the ball. From an Irish perspective, it was great to see a prodigious talent step up and perform on a stage like that. 

Tactically however, they did not benefit from a number of changes during the game. It’s forgotten now that Liverpool actually took the lead, albeit against the run of play. The two areas where Liverpool went wrong consistently the last day was maintaining possession and giving options off the ball. Very few times did they release an effective counter-attack. No one even thought of supporting Mario Balotelli when he got the ball in the final third, which left him to be surrounded by Villa defenders up close and in the space in their box. And none of Rodgers’ changes in shape made a difference to that. The urgency and control of the game was lost by switching to a back four. It was the key tactical mistake Rodgers made. Emre Can has been excellent in an unorthodox back three, but moving to right back was one move too many. It nullified his presence in the team in bringing the ball out from defence. His surging runs were not as effective on the flank. Phillip Lahm’s switch to the defensive midfield for Bayern Munich in 2013-14 revolutionised their season according to Pep Guardiola. The relevance that has to Emre Can is that it is an example of keeping technically efficient players in the middle, where they can help distribute the ball better. He was left isolated in the flanks and the rest of the team suffered.

The substitutions also raised eyebrows. Introducing Balotelli made sense as Liverpool had no presence in the final third. Where it went wrong was the type of service he got or support backing him up. That, and the fact he went offside numerous times long direct balls were played to him. Aside from that, I looked at the Liverpool bench at around the 65^th minute. I didn’t think either Lambert or Borini would come on unless things were desperate. The only move I could see was a straight swap in Moreno for Johnson. I have little time for Moreno and think he is no better than Johnson. Johnson however, would at least bring plenty of running and options going forward. Yet the decision to take Allen off instead was ludicrous. Gerrard was lost, having no impact on the game, and his set pieces were ineffective. Allen might not have been having a great game but he was a damn sight more involved than Gerrard was. Not only that but it necessitated another formation change. Lambert, the final change, would indeed come on again for another 60 second cameo in injury time. At that stage, formations didn’t really matter.

The end result was 2-1. Liverpool’s goal a deflected effort from Coutinho, the one bright light in their 2014-15 season. And almost immediately the post mortem into the season began. Understandably no one is going to see if Liverpool overhaul a four point deficit to catch Man City in fourth over their final seven games before casting judgment. It was negative, fatalistic and quite hilarious to be honest. Naturally the defeat left a sour taste in the mouth but the need for heads to roll over the defeat is extremely over the top. Even if I’m amongst a rarity where I don’t let football effect my emotions for longer than a few minutes after a game, it still beggared belief that those fans still lack foresight or understanding of their demands. I was quite happy not to cast an opinion, for fear any disappointment would result in brash assertions.

I’ve always been of the opinion that Liverpool overachieved last season. The level of performance from a number of players that year was simply unsustainable. I certainly felt Liverpool wouldn’t hit the ground running this season and that came to pass. Unfortunately many other problems came to the fore that before we knew it, Liverpool were chasing the top four instead of the title. And from that point on, Rodgers has been under pressure. Once again, the club has failed to build on the previous seasons efforts and are now lagging behind their rivals. Where exactly has it gone wrong for Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers? And what needs to change for them to reach the promised land?

On looking at Liverpools signings last summer, they were a mix of finished articles and potential. It’s a straight 50-50 between the two. And that was a mistake. Liverpool needed more finished articles, especially to replace the talent of Luis Suarez. Why wait for more potential to be realised the year after you finish 2nd? You should be wanting to push on or at least consolidate your position. And while you can give some benefit of doubt to the younger signings, the ready-made players brought in simply haven’t done it. Personally, I thought it was simply pathetic that Liverpool spent close 60 million on players from Southampton, a team that finished 8th in 2013-14 season. Liverpool needed to step up another level, not downgrade. Neither of Lallana, Lovren or Lambert can be termed as good signings. And none of them can be termed as young signings that need time. They were purchased to make an immediate impact on the first team or from the bench. The younger signings, Markovic, Moreno and Can, need time to develop. Although I have great reservations about Moreno’s potential, Markovic has shown signs of talent. And Emre Can has undoubtedly been the best signing of the summer.

Yet it was the signing of Mario Balotelli that has caused the most discussion about Liverpool’s transfer policy and raises several questions about the club right now. Balotelli is an immensely talented player, anyone who denies that is just narrow minded. However, Mario needs to be the focal point of a team built around his strengths. Mario’s playing style vastly differs from that of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, and Fabio Borini. He does not fit into a high pressured attacking game. And the time spent trying to integrate him into that style set Liverpool back early on this season. Rodgers could easily identify that Balotelli would not fit into the team. Yet, I strongly believe that the Transfer Committee overruled any reservations the manager had, for the need of a marquee signing and the hope of the player becoming a success. That might work on occasion in Football Manager. It seldom translates into reality.

If both the Transfer Committee and Rodgers have differing opinions on players and the playing philosophy how can the club ever expect to progress? Having five people decide on who to sign is madness. Those in charge of the business side of the club have commitments to raising and saving money for the club. The manager and coaches have commitments to building a top four side. These commitments will inevitably clash. And who gets the deciding vote? It’s football by numbers. And if the numbers are adding up on one side with sponsorship deals and the New Balance shirt deal, then they certainly aren’t adding up on the pitch.

The semi-final against Aston Villa was the latest in a string of big games that Rodgers and Liverpool have failed to deliver. Strangely enough, these big games always start off with the infamous Chelsea game last season. There is no mention of the many crucial wins that preceded and gave expectation and scrutiny to that Chelsea game. And while I felt Rodgers should have adapted a more conservative approach that day against Chelsea, it’s not like it was the deciding factor. Liverpool dominated that game and Chelsea were happy to disrupt that any way they can, content that they would not be broken. Their two goals that day came from a mistake from Gerrard and an injury time counter attack. Rodgers can’t legislate for his captain making a mistake like that. Against Palace, they were coasting for 78 minutes, what followed was a collapse of epic proportions but one that did not cost them the title. Liverpool lost the title initiative in the Chelsea game, this result just ended it. I would hardly count those games as ones Rodgers lost through tactical mishandling of the same extent as Villa last Sunday.

I admire Rodgers passion, his study of the game, his philosophy. What I don’t like is some of the shite he spouts in press conferences before and after the game. At times in this season he has heaped unnecessary pressure on both himself and the players. He has done it with Sterling with his contract. The expectation placed on Sturridge and the impact he would make when he’d return from injury could have easily forced a relapse in his recovery. The pressure on Sturridge to shoulder the burden for Liverpools faltering form when he returned was massive. After defeating Man City in March, he said Liverpool could overhaul them to 2nd place. Now he is trying to cast assertions over them in chasing fourth place. That sums it up really. I know Liverpool have a special place for quick witted and charismatic managers but Rodgers needs to deliver and back his words up. Right now, Rodgers is the only manager in Liverpools illustrious history to not win a trophy in his first 3 seasons. That is a record that does not endear him to the fans who thrive upon silverware.

Across his 3 seasons at the club, 3 different formations have become the way forward for Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers. In 2012-13, it was a 4-3-3. The next season the midfield diamond was the masterstroke that almost delivered a league title. This year, Liverpool found stability and form under a 3-4-3 line up, with slight alterations between 3-4-2-1 depending on personnel. From day one, Rodgers strived for possession based football, supremacy in controlling the ball. Somewhere along the way, that changed. The many changing formations and personnel at his disposal raises the question of what Rodgers wants to achieve with Liverpool going forward. It's hard to maintain a consistent system when the personnel keeps changing, Rodgers needs to settle this once and for all in the summer.

Rodgers cannot hide behind the Transfer Committee. But people cannot lay all the blame at his feet for everything gone wrong this season. I think expectations for 2014-15 were vastly raised after the exploits of last season. Yes, it is a setback that the club may ultimately miss out on Champions League football. However that is compounded by the fact they almost won the league last year, that they played fascinating football in doing so. This has only served to increase the growing discontent towards Rodgers. While he does need to address some issues, it is still over the top to consider removing him as manager. He doesn’t lack self-confidence and believes he is the right man to bring Liverpool forward.

I also believe Rodgers deserve another season in the job. You just cannot forget what he achieved in almost winning the title last season and take into account the changes that have occurred since. I believe he deserves a chance to rectify the mistakes of this campaign. Losing Suarez and losing Sturridge for long periods to injury has had a devastating impact. It has propelled Raheem Sterling to the fore and he has had to shoulder the burden of their absence. He is their top scorer this season, but people focus on the chances he misses, the mistakes he makes. The contract issue is hardly helping either. However, I have never seen Sterling give up or stop running in trying to make things happen. His immense quality has been diluted by excessive effort. He needs support and he hasn’t got it this season.

I strongly believe that if Rodgers is to lead Liverpool into the 2015-16 season, he has to be given a proper chance to do this. He cannot be stifled by any transfer committee in identifying talent. If he wants to work with one person behind the scenes then grand, but let that person have a vested interest in tactical and technical aspects of the game, not the financial and economical aspects. People may question some of the players Rodgers has bought but he cannot be judged fairly until he works with the players he wants. Liverpool made a mistake opting for potential last season. One season on, Rodgers needs to identify which players are going to make an impact, and which players can fill the voids left by those who won’t and/or will be leaving. Gerrard will be gone this summer. And while he has been extremely average this season, his departure will leave a big void on and off the field. No 20 year old wonderkid can fill that immediately.

There is absolutely no guarantee that Jurgen Klopp or anyone else will do a better job at the club if they come in. Liverpool will ultimately find themselves at square one should they decide want a new manager. There will be another excessive overhaul of players and the need to accept another year of transition. I have seen too many years of transition at Liverpool. I’d much rather gamble on year 4, a make or break year for Brendan Rodgers. He has shown enough in his 3 seasons to show he is the right man to bring Liverpool forward. He needs a chance to deliver that.

Flirting With Relegation: Part 4

At many times during this struggle I have been left shaking my head despondently at the events unfolding around me, on the field, off the field.

During the first half of our last league game, a crucial 6 pointer in the relegation battle, it was the same, but without the despondence.

With the game pushed back an hour, I had time to relax in the morning. I spent the extra hour finishing Part 3 of this series and applying monstrous amounts of Deep Heat to my legs. My previous day’s work had left my legs worse for wear and a poor night’s sleep compounded the DOMS effect. However, this was no time to cry foul. I needed to get some sort of movement going in my legs ahead of the game. I felt we would be stretched for numbers again and that I would be playing some if not all of the game. An hour before kick-off, my manager knocked on my door. As I mentioned previously in Part 3, I had not made known my availability for the game. I immediately thought he was knocking on my door looking for me. He wasn’t, he was looking for a ball pump.

The game was going ahead, and I wasn’t far wrong with my prediction of playing time. Because with half an hour before kick-off, we had only 5 lads at the pitch. Our opponents had arrived, and had begun their warm-up. It was alarming, even if the management and some of the lads weren’t so worried. It was even more alarming that it was a nightmare trying to run. My legs were in no condition to play football. My lungs and overall fitness had improved slightly since the last game with the advent of Junior B training, but how much could I say for the lads who showed up? It was the first thing I asked each of them. How was the fitness? It was going have to be good if we had less than the requisite 11, which was looking likely

It was a beautiful morning for a game. Previous matches had fallen foul to the weather but there would be no such problems this time around. The pitch too was also in fine condition. And as time edged ever closer to kick-off, our numbers increased too! Remarkably, we had 11 in time for kick-off. Even more remarkably we decided to start with 10. This was because one lad would arrive 5 minutes after kick-off, and rather than waste a substitute. A makeshift warm-up, a relative makeshift starting eleven minus one. A relegation six pointer at home, our opponents four points ahead of us in eighth. The scene was set.

We kicked off. The opening stages would be crucial. And we started tentatively. You have to take into account that we hadn’t trained together in six weeks. Sure, we all knew each other, but there was no cohesion or any idea what pace was within our ability. Thankfully, our opponents were no great shakes either. I started the game at right back, my usual position. I had lost out on my chance to make that position my own just before Xmas to another lad and my injury setback. He was on the left side. We agreed to swap sides if he found it tough. We didn’t have to. The opposing wingers were the ones to switch in order to make an impact in the final third. We were holding our own but individual mistakes were letting us down going forward. Some of those were my own, which annoyed me. I did start a well worked move down the right wing that seemed to get us going, or at least prove we were capable of controlling this game.

And then it happened.

There were a few half chances that came our way but the breakthrough came from our main striker, our main goal-scoring threat but the kind of striker who needs 5 chances to score once, who’d score the more difficult goals than the easiest ones. He took up possession inside the box, dribbled his way across the goal, squandering chances to shoot during it before from what seemed a very acute angle from my position on the field, slotted the ball into the top corner. Like I said, he would score the impossible goals before the easiest ones but they all count. Five minutes later, we won a free-kick 25 yards out. We have a dead ball specialist in our ranks so any free-kick is a decent opportunity. He struck it perfectly with his left foot, only for it to hit the underside of the crossbar and come back out to our other striker, the one who hadn’t scored a goal all season. What seemed like an eternity for it to drop, he struck it first time into the roof of the net to make it 2-0. To be fair to him, he has usually played out on the wing for most of the season but he almost made a bet with our centre back to see who would score first. He should have taken it. 10 minutes later, a cutback across goal was finished well by our main striker again, proving he could score the easier ones. And moments after that, a great team move was finished off emphatically into the top corner by the other striker to bring his season tally to 2, the score-line for day to 4-0.

I was left shaking my head in joy at what was unfolding. We were destroying our opponents. Confidence was flowing throughout. It could have been more than 4-0 at half-time. We weren’t flawless, but by god we were effective and nothing like a team fighting relegation. It was soul soothing for me. Defeat in this game would effectively kill us. Now we had given ourselves a new lease of life. The mood was buoyant at half time but we stressed the urge to continue the same way in the second. Any complacency would allow our opponents back into it and we had a taste for conceding many goals. Goal difference was crucial also, we were 5 goals behind our opponents in the table so it was imperative that if we don’t score any more, we shouldn’t concede any either.

Unfortunately, that’s what happened. Within 10 minutes of the second half, it was 4-2. They switched to 3 up front and that stretched the back four enough to hit twice. Even more unfortunate was that they both came from my side of the pitch. The first goal was a slightly deflected volley off me that just eluded our goalkeeper. The second saw me outnumbered 2 to one and they took advantage to half the deficit. Our team was now in disarray. Not only had the formation switch confused us, but our intensity suddenly dropped. All momentum was now with the opposition and we needed to stem the flow. That meant taking me off and bringing on another defender in a straight swap. Moments before I had hurt my hip going for a header. Nothing serious. It was only after I came off it got worst. But I sensed I would be coming off anyways.

The substitution did little to stem the flow. Our manager still hadn’t copped to the formation switch. Now the game suddenly turned into an end-to-end battle. We squandered chances, they squandered chances. A goal for us would end their comeback, a goal for them would really turn on the pressure. They had one great chance that just went wide, and were enjoying plenty of territory. I alerted our manager to the fact they were playing 3-4-3 and he made a few switches on the field. The pace of the game slowed down, especially as fitness began to fade. With our main striker on a hat-trick, he was desperate to complete his hat-trick. Two chances came his way but he failed to convert. Our central midfielder who struck the free-kick in the first half was also desperate to score a goal also went close with a free-kick. Ultimately it was not until injury time that we scored a fifth. A great run to the byline from our left back, now switched to the right, was followed by a looping cross that was nodded home by one of our midfielders.

5-2. Three points. Goal difference in our favour. Now we were only one point from safety with three games to play. It was a huge relief. We have real hope to stay up. The have that threat hanging over you is not nice. We have given ourselves a real fighting chance and now I can’t wait to play our next games. We could be waiting a while, as two of those games are against one club who have a fixture backlog. The team in 10^th place have a horrible run in in their final four games with matches against each of the top three teams. So I don’t expect them to make up 6 points to overtake ourselves and the team in 8^th. As for our defeated opponents, they have a less difficult run in but one game against 1^st placed Salthill Devon. They could have one potential winnable game against a team above us in 7^th.  They are currently on 13 points but if they don’t make the most of their fixture back-log then they too could get sucked into this battle. Most importantly, however, is that we are still alive, everything is to play for.
The Great Escape is On!

Republic of Ireland v Poland - EURO 2016 qualifer

Senior International Fixtures are infrequent occurrences on the football calendar. And that comes as a detriment to all football fans for differing reasons. Those vested in following club football rue the disruption of an International break. The temporary postponement of the regular league season, the potential for injuries; that they suddenly have to support a player who plays for a club they hate etc. etc. And then there are those who follow their country.

I am of the latter.


I enjoy club football as much as anyone else. I follow the fortunes of teams such as Celtic, Galway United, Liverpool, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund. There are a number of reasons on why I follow those teams with varying degrees of interest. Aside from those, I read frequent articles on the state of the game in Europe and beyond. From my time studying many football records when I was younger, I have great knowledge of who what where and when of club football history. I was once called a walking football encyclopaedia by my friends. I thrive upon discussing football in person or on social media. And I was compelled this year to finally set up a blog to post my opinions and thoughts for everyone to see.
For all the great moments I have enjoyed watching club football, I can safely say it will never compare with following my country. Never.
 

Without ever going to a game in Dublin until my twenties, with the exception of Paul McGraths testimonial in 1998, I have religiously followed the exploits of my national team since I was able to kick a ball. Becoming aware of the team at a time of change under Mick McCarthy, I watched 3 consecutive play-off defeats before Ireland would get over the line in Tehran in 2001 and qualify for the 2002 World Cup. And even before a ball was kicked in Korea and Japan the following summer, the entire country was captivated by the Saipan debacle. I remember feeling physically sick after losing to Spain on penalties and the fact that the World Cup was over. And with each failure to get there since increasing that pain tenfold. I was left crushed beyond belief when Henry cheated his way to set up the French equaliser in Paris. And somehow despite the setbacks and the constant heartbreak, I kept coming back. Because it’s what I love.


Despite my non-attendance, I saw myself as passionate a supporter than those at every home and away game. My inability to travel when I was younger was down to finances and ease of access. It never impacted on my passion for Ireland. I knew one day it would become easier for me to go to these games and follow my country home and abroad. That day eventually came with the 2^nd leg of a EURO 2012 play-off against Estonia in 2011. In what was a damp squib in light of the emphatic 1^st leg win, the joy at qualifying for a major championships was profound around the Lansdowne Road (its proper name!) In fact I think there was a lot more a relief that we had finally done it again, qualifying for a major championship. Yet if I thought the passion within me was big before then, EURO 2012 brought it on to another level entirely.


The experiences and tales of the 12 days I spent travelling & living EURO 2012 in Poznan and Gdansk are for another article. However, it left such an impact on me that I have been striving at home and beyond to recreate the magic ever since. Club football became a footnote, my holiday plans were now focused upon where Ireland were playing in Europe. I could no longer afford to pass on going to friendlies if I could as I would only feel bad that I missed out. Ireland may have lost all 3 games in Poland that summer but they had won the undeniable support of this author for the rest of his life.


I have been a near regular attendee ever since. I still have the same issues travelling from my home town of Tuam to games in Dublin but with a little help from supporter clubs and like-minded friends, I can usually be found in Section 114 at home games. And there is no lengths I would not consider to following the Boys In Green abroad. It’s a wonderful experience following Ireland across Europe. Even though our prospects are not the best and we still continue to struggle against the elite teams in the continent, it never deters the pride and passion in the people around me in the stands. We will never turn our backs on the team, we are not motivated by success, like the Rugby bandwagon in this country. The FAI are a shambles of organisation and that too is for another article, but I won’t let them stop me from doing what I love.  


Tomorrow, we play Poland in an absolutely crucial EURO 2016 qualifier. Our visitors currently sit top of Group D while ourselves, Scotland and World Champions Germany have 7 points from four games. Some are calling it a must win. I firmly believe it’s a must not lose. For if we are to lose, there will be too much ground to make up on the other three teams for the qualification spots. Our opening games have been nothing short of dramatic. An Aiden McGeady inspired late win in Georgia, a rout of Gibraltar at home and improbable point away to Germany, a late John O’Shea equaliser that sent Irish fans across the world into raptures. However, our run hit a setback with defeat to Scotland in Glasgow. I was present that evening and was disappointed with our performance that night. If we perform like that tomorrow, then it will be another long night at the Aviva.


And that’s what every Irish fan wants to avoid. We are striving for an atmosphere and an occasion that we haven’t seen since we defeated the Netherlands in 2001. For too long, we have paid too much respect to teams at our own patch and let them dictate the tempo of the game. Maybe we could understand if it was Germany doing that to us (and they have) but teams such as Cyprus and Armenia have come to Dublin and taken the game to us. I have no doubt the Polish squad will be encouraged by the away support inside the Aviva tomorrow night so it’s even more imperative that Irish fans make themselves heard.


A counter argument to that however, is that it’s how well the Irish team plays tomorrow evening that will determine the atmosphere inside the ground. Giovanni Trapattoni’s tactics could only be appreciated by purists such as myself but it never made it easy to create an atmosphere in his era. Martin O’Neill’s style is not altogether a vast improvement but we have players in our squad currently who can play some great football when on song. And that doesn’t relate more clearly than to aforementioned McGeady, whose winning goal against Georgia was voted the Irish goal of the year for 2014. Doubts have been raised over his fitness, along with Robbie Brady’s too. If it comes down to a choice between two, I will opt for Brady to run himself into ground for the first hour or so of the game and if needs be, let McGeady come on as an impact sub for the last 20 minutes.


The formation is another question on the minds of fans and journalists alike. Rumours abound that O’Neill may opt for a 3-5-2 approach suggest that he is open to some change. Not that Adam Nawałka, Polish manager, believes there will be any change. He is absolutely convinced Ireland will play 4-4-2. If we do, then I believe we will struggle as we will not have enough in central midfield to combat the Polish side. I think we need to start 3 in midfield. And Wes Hoolahan has to be one of those midfielders. His creativity and vision is the perfect foil for Robbie Keane. The captain can still score goals at this level. And it’s important we create chances for him to do that. He was omitted from the starting team in Glasgow and it backfired. We need to score tomorrow night and he is the best man to do that in my opinion.


Should we go for the 3-5-2 tomorrow, then this is the starting team I will go for.
--------------------------Forde--------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
--------------O’Shea---Clark---Keogh-----------------
--Coleman--------------------------------------Brady--
----------------McCarthy-----Whelan------------------
-------------------------Hoolahan-----------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------Long---------Keane-----------------

Poland have done superb to be on top of the group. Led by Roman Lewandowski, they are the only undefeated team left and are in a great position to qualify. That being said, they don’t have the best record against us of late. Our last two encounters took place in 2013, with Ireland winning 2-0 in Dublin and a 0-0 draw in Poznan. They are a decent team but they are one we are certainly capable of beating. We have to believe that. I have nothing but respect and love for the Polish fans for the hospitality they gave us during EURO 2012. They are going to have strong numbers in the stadium tomorrow evening and they will making plenty of noise too. However, if we start well and take control of the game, we can nullify our opponents on and off the field. The atmosphere will be nothing short of electric; that much I am sure of. I hope our performance on the field can match it. I’m hoping we win, I’m praying we win, I believe we will win.

For once I will genuinely be motivated to stop playing my PS3 until the early hours this Saturday night. I will adjust my clocks accordingly for the time change. When Sunday morning comes, I will reach a level of excitement I haven’t felt since walking into Celtic Park last November. I despair at the long intervals between international games, but maybe it’s the waiting that feeds into my excitement and anticipation. I don’t think I will get much sleep tonight.
To paraphrase a quote our captain once uttered, this is my fucking country we’re talking about!


And what else would you rather have me do?
COYBIG