Into the Great Beyond...

In a way, Ireland's performance in Vienna summed up the World Cup qualification effort under Trapattoni - some flickering, futile glimpses of promise, outweighed by a lack of imagination and ambition, a dearth of assertiveness and confidence, and - finally - the submission of a shaky defence to yet another easily-avoidable goal. Unfortunately, the identity of the goalscorer underlined a damning deficiency in Ireland's player pool - we do not currently possess a player like Alaba or Ibrahimovic - a top-class individual who can provide that extra spark to lift their side above mediocrity. Ireland were not beaten by outstanding, technical sides playing free-flowing football. Both Sweden and Austria were vulnerable and often sloppy in their general play, and certainly beatable - had the correct Irish teams been picked, and deployed with the ambition and authority one should expect from a world-class manager. Trapattoni failed to provide this, and for an Irish team to be virtually eliminated from a playoff position with two games to spare is unacceptable. The world ranking now stands at 59 - an alarming new low. Of the previous national team managers in the modern era, only the gormless designs of Steve Staunton in 2006/7 have plumbed such depths. Trap had to go, and the prompt severance of ties was something of a relief.

In writing the epitaph to his reign, it must be noted that Trapattoni inherited a mess when he took the job in 2008, and quickly restored team spirit, purpose, organisation and discipline to the side. Ireland's away record and ability to grind out victories against the smaller nations was very commendable, especially considering the travails of other mid-ranked European sides at the same time, and it brought us to two playoffs and one qualification - a record which bettered the efforts of many traditionally strong teams in the same campaigns, like Serbia, Belgium, Turkey, Switzerland and Romania.

However, there was a certain complacency at the heart of the Trapattoni era which was eventually our undoing. It was assumed that the defence was solid and organised when it was actually quite vulnerable, particularly at set-pieces, and that didn't change. Central midfield was screaming out for a change from the very early days - a competent alternative to Steven Reid was never found, nor even sought, after his injury. Even in our successful campaign, we struggled on carrying these flaws, limping home against Macedonia and Armenia, picking up the points that Slovakia threw away, and taking advantage of the weakest draw in the history of UEFA-zone playoffs. As the likes of Duff and Given retired, and Dunne, Doyle and Keane became less influential, we started to see some really odd selections in the squad, and increasingly, the starting line-up. These situations could have been dealt with better. By 2012, Trap had taken the team as far as he could, but then, hindsight is a fine thing. Despite how it all ended, Trap remains a charismatic, dignified and genial football man, and as an Irish fan, he has my gratitude and goodwill, despite how it all ended.

During the 2002 World Cup qualifiers - Ireland's last successful campaign before Trapattoni - Ireland used twenty-six players - thirteen Premiership players, four 'Division 1' players, and nine who had played at both levels in the fourteen months of the campaign. In the current group, Trapattoni used twenty-seven players - ten EPL players, eleven Championship, three who have played both EPL and Championship, and three (Keane, McGeady and O'Dea) from 'other' leagues of varying quality. Aiden McGeady is the only Irish international to have played Champions League football in the last year. It would suggest a slight degradation in the quality of Ireland's player pool since those heady days under Mick McCarthy, but it must also be noted that expensive foreign players were not quite as prevalent in 2000/01, when clubs like Leeds and Ipswich could challenge for Europe with mostly home-grown squads. Also, in 2001, McCarthy did not have to deal with so many top-flight regulars in self-imposed exiles, such as Stephen Ireland and Darron Gibson, nor high-profile retirees in good club form, like Damien Duff and (arguably) Steven Reid. Many of those listed Championship denizens (Sammon, Keogh, Fahey, Cox, Green, Andrews and Ward) were controversial selections to begin with. The Irish player pool is not quite as horrendous as we think, and the new manager certainly should have something to work with. A good midfield can potentially be constructed from the talents of Brady, Gibson, McCarthy, McGeady, Pilkington, Quinn and Hoolahan, many of whom were ignored, mistrusted or misused by Trapattoni, in favour of lesser players. Anthony Stokes would also provide a decent striking option, so long as he stays off the pints and keeps impressing at Champions League level.

So, who is it going to be?

Of the Irish contenders, Martin O'Neill is the obvious front-runner, and rightly so. O'Neill's time at Celtic was punctuated with some stirring European performances, particularly in reaching the 2003 UEFA Cup final. Though he squandered quite a lot of money at Aston Villa, he kept them punching their weight in the top half, and they suffered quite badly upon his departure. Even at Sunderland, where he may have lost the energy required for day-to-day club management, he still pulled out some decent wins - notably at home to champions-elect Manchester City in early 2012. The sporadic nature of international football would appeal to a manager who has built his reputation on big occasions and inspirational man-management, and his genial nature would do wonders for the Irish team's communication issues and oft-frayed public relations. However, he does have his critics, particularly with regard to his preferred direct style of play, which some reckon would be a throwback to the worst elements of Trapattoni's era. It is not an unfounded criticism - the utilisation of big centre-forwards was a hallmark of his time with Leicester, Celtic and Villa, but Celtic did play some high-tempo attacking football too - one of his first games with Celtic was a frenetic 6-2 win over Dick Advocaat's Rangers.

Mick McCarthy has been mentioned, but they always say 'never go back', and he would bring a certain amount of baggage to the job - not just from Saipan, but from a history of strange tactical decisions and puzzling loyalties, most notably in the botched Euro 2000 qualifiers, when we were treated to the sight of a thirty-seven-year-old Tony Cascarino starting a playoff while Damien Duff remained on the bench. Chris Hughton is another good 'name', but he may be unwilling to leave Norwich, and his involvement as assistant manager during the tactically flawed Brian Kerr regime should not be forgotten. As for Roy Keane... well, if you thought Trapattoni was eccentric, undiplomatic and prone to alienating players, just ask Clive Clarke about the Corkman's inclusive and progressive approach to man-management. Put simply, he's too much of a headcase to be anywhere near the job.

'I liked Ralf Rangnick before he was cool, man.'

With Denis O'Brien again putting his funds towards the new manager's salary, Ireland do have options. Trapattoni was very much a left-field candidate before he was approached by the 'kingmakers' in 2008, and the FAI could yet spring another surprise, given that they are not rushing their appointment. Much depends on the job description. In Denmark, for example, Morten Olsen has been working in a wide-ranging capacity of both senior team manager and technical director, working closely with the grassroots of Danish football. This Scandinavian approach has won plenty of admirers among more well-informed Irish fans, and the right appointment could provide the far-reaching changes and continuity required by Ireland at underage and grassroots level. Unfortunately, this progressive approach to development did not stop the Danes from being hockeyed 4-0 at home to Armenia last March - it seems there is no 'magic formula' in international football. If the Irish managerial position is to be solely focused on short-term results, it's a different story - a motivator like O'Neill would do just fine - but if the brief includes wider technical development, then a more Continental influence would surely be required. Just to be a hipster about it, and because I have a slight fondness for the Germans, I'm going to throw Ralf Rangnick's name out there.

The appointment of Noel King as interim manager for the Germany and Kazakhstan games is a sensible one, as King has certainly improved the fortunes of the Irish U-21s since taking over from the much-maligned Don Givens. He tends to favour a more attractive, modern style of play, which may provide an interesting window into the ability of Ireland's players to adapt from the turgid physicality of 'Trap-ball' into something more sophisticated. At this stage, we're looking for any positive signs.

Sweden post-mortem

For half an hour at Lansdowne Road on Friday night, everything was falling into place. Under pressure from the fast-paced, physical Irish onslaught, the Swedish back four were on edge, slicing clearances into touch, needlessly conceding possession. Ireland had taken the lead through an opportunistic and brave effort from Robbie Keane. McClean had struck the crossbar, and Sweden seemed to have wasted their best chances, with Sebastian Larsson heading wide after Ibrahimovic found him unmarked. It brought to mind Patrick Kluivert and the chances that Holland missed on that crazy afternoon in 2001. In a psychological battle between two sides lacking in subtlety, everything was going Ireland's way, and it was set to be the first genuinely famous night under Trapattoni at Lansdowne Road.

However, as the outstanding Zlatan Ibrahimovic started to wield more influence, Ireland switched off and allowed Sweden to get back into the game. Despite Trapattoni's reputation for building solid 'catenaccio' systems, Ireland's defending was slipshod and incompetent for the two crucial, preventable goals. McClean fell asleep for the first goal, closing down an already-marked Larsson to allow Lustig the time and space to pick out a dangerous cross. Whelan was caught in no-man's land in the second half, as the 37-year-old Anders Svensson bisected the Irish defence to finish past David Forde. Ireland's attempts to force an equaliser slipped away in a flurry of long balls and poor decision-making, particularly from the hard-running but frustrating Long. As the game slipped away, Ireland's morale and self-belief expired.

There has been a lot of soul-searching in the past few days. Trapattoni blamed the Irish grassroots for failing to provide the requisite talent, with an ill-advised dig at the domestic league. Many pundits, conversely, blame Trapattoni for not making the best of what is available. It's a circular argument which reflects negatively on both Ireland's playing pool and how they have been managed since Paris in 2009, when Ireland out-passed a French side containing Henry, Evra, Gourcuff and Anelka. The foundations were laid that night for an exciting, strong, competitive Irish team, but it was never built upon. Qualification for the Euros was, on paper, a fait accompli, but the Slovakian collapse in that group, and an amazingly fortunate playoff draw, tended to obscure the glaring weaknesses in the Irish side. Those weaknesses have been ruthlessly exposed ever since.

The Irish defence has never been wholly reliable or consistent under Trapattoni. Think back to goals conceded from set-pieces against Italy (twice), Croatia, Slovakia, Russia and Kazakhstan - the type of goals that should not be conceded by a well-organised team. The centre of midfield has been a wasteland, populated by players who lack the requisite technical ability to fill the basic requirements at this level. The likes of Whelan, Andrews and Green are fine athletes, but the 37-year-old Svensson - who never played for a bigger club than Southampton in his career - showed on Friday night that intelligent movement and sound technique will always trump graft and attrition in the international arena. Neither he, Albin Ekdal, nor Kim Kallstrom could be regarded as midfield enforcers in the Makelele or Roy Keane mould - they are tidy footballers who do the basics, make their interceptions, keep the ball, and provide a link between defence and attack.

The game no longer calls for midfielders to fly into tackles with the ferocity and frequency of yesteryear. Statistics show that Bayern Munich - the German and European Champions, regarded as pioneers of modern, technical football - averaged fourteen tackles per game last season. Even Everton, who were regarded as a 'physical' side under David Moyes, averaged a total of eighteen, with central midfielders making between three and five tackles per game. Given this trend, in a game where midfield players are expected to average between fifty and sixty passes in the ninety minutes, is it fair or even sensible that Wes Hoolahan is omitted from the Irish team for his perceived lack of athleticism or defensive ability?

Players like Hoolahan, McCarthy, Andy Reid, Stephen Quinn, Chris McCann, Owen Garvan and Darron Gibson have all been available to the Irish manager since 2009. All are regarded as better passers of the ball than Andrews, Whelan and Green, and have mostly played at a comparable level in England to those incumbents. Then, consider that Trapattoni has latterly pursued a baffling propensity for putting one-dimensional strikers - Cox, Keogh and Walters - on the wing instead of trusting the promising talents of Robbie Brady. Is there any doubt that Trapattoni has erred in his brief to pick the most effective Irish team? He has created a defensively-minded team that can't actually defend; a team which plays long, high balls to Keane, Doyle and Long, who are all under six feet tall. The midfield is picked for its defensive ability, yet their individual and collective inability to keep possession constantly puts Ireland on the back foot. It is a mess of self-defeating and unnecessary contradictions which leaves the Irish players at a considerable handicap before a ball is kicked.

Ireland will go into battle against Austria tonight needing a favour from Kazakhstan to stay within distance of a playoff place, yet it seems immaterial. The Trapattoni era is in its death throes, and an unlikely win tonight may only provide a stay of execution. Even if, by some miracle, Ireland scraped into second place, the 'worst runners-up' spot would be a very realistic fate. Austria are a more sophisticated team than Sweden, with a solid core of Bundesliga players, marshalled by the excellent David Alaba. The way they outplayed Ireland in the second half in Dublin does not bode well for tonight's game. The mood can not be positive in the Irish camp after Friday night, and though we may see a spirited performance, the required victory should be a bridge too far.

Ireland's hopes will go no further, but the discussions will continue, at least until the Euro 2016 campaign begins. How can Ireland go forward? Will a change of manager consign the international side to Wales/Scotland also-ran status, or will the mistakes of Trapattoni's era be rectified? Where are the players going to come from? 

The dysfunction and schism at grassroots level, the financial travails of the League of Ireland, and the trend of Irish players coming through English academies to be sold off to lower-tier sides without any top-level experience - these are the challenges which continue to face Irish football, and none can be resolved without a major overhaul. That, unfortunately, would require investment and capital which is beyond the FAI's resources at present, even if the expertise were there to formulate any wide-reaching technical development plan. Discussion about such reform will remain a utopian pipe dream until the brains and the finance are readily available to the FAI, without being held back by the misdirected funding, abuses of power, cronyism and shoddy administration we have come to expect from the maligned Association.

In spite of all this, there are enough Irish players knocking about at a high level to be competitive against teams like Bulgaria, Slovakia, Sweden and Austria, and pose a more compelling challenge in these games. A manager is required with the organisational skills, common-sense, diplomacy and progressive approach to get the best out of this Irish player pool, and despite his pedigree, Trapattoni has not proved to be that man. Despite initial glimpses of promise in the 2010 qualifiers, and the kudos acquired from grinding out important victories in the Euro 2012 campaign, Ireland have regressed to something far removed from the organised, well-drilled, tactically aware, patient and mentally strong unit that Trapattoni's appointment and early performances promised in 2008. Trapattoni's mistakes in 2012 and 2013 have brought to mind the worst of Brian Kerr's conservatism and Staunton's bizarre selections and defensive frailty. We had a right to expect more.

Ireland vs. Sweden preview

So, the day is upon us. The beginning of a two-game series which will decide Ireland's World Cup playoff fate, and there is a strange sense of optimism in the camp. The game is a sell-out, the Irish team is close to full-strength, Sweden have been weakened, and come to Dublin under considerable pressure.

Trapattoni named his starting XI yesterday for a game which will go a long way to defining his reign. Despite some disconcerting reports during the week, when it was revealed that McShane and Cox had lined up on the left side for the 'probables' team in training, Trapattoni's eventual line-up has a reassuring feel to it. O'Shea and Dunne resume centre-back duties for the first time since the 1-1 draw with Italy in 2009, while Wilson was deemed fit enough to take the left-back berth. Coleman will raid forward from the other flank. Whelan and McCarthy line up in central midfield, with McClean and Walters getting the nod in the intriguing wing positions. Brady is unfortunate to miss out, and his absence means there is no recognised set-piece taker in the side. Keane and Long start up front.

Though Pilkington and Brady would be considered Ireland's form wingers, the incumbents offer admirable work-rate and physicality. McClean is a strange player - his early EPL form for Sunderland was genuinely outstanding, but he can often look one-dimensional, one-footed and clumsy, depending on form and mood. His recent performances for Ireland have been good, however, since a lacklustre display against Poland. Walters, on the other flank, will keep his marker honest and provide a target for Ireland's more 'direct' phases of play.

In theory, Sweden are tailor-made opponents for such a big game. Under Trapattoni, the Irish midfield has often struggled against opponents who crowd the midfield, with a playmaker (Hamsik, Modric, Dzagoev, Alaba) thus allowed to dictate the flow of a game against an undermanned engine room. Sweden will line up with a relatively straightforward 4-4-2, potentially opening up space for the Irish midfield to get on the ball. It will be open, physical, fast-paced and not very pretty - in other words, an EPL-style game.

It seems likely that Sweden will deploy 37-year-old former Southampton player Anders Svensson alongside Kim Kallstrom in the midfield instead of the highly-rated Albin Ekdal, which gives the Swedish midfield a pedestrian look, and offers James McCarthy a genuine chance of imposing himself on the game. Furthermore, Sweden's full-backs seem to lack the attacking ability that Ireland possess (how strange it seems to be able to type those words) with Wilson and Coleman. Sweden are also missing Tobias Sana and Rasmus Elm - possibly their two most highly-rated players after Ibrahimovic. Ireland will not have a better chance to upset a higher-ranked team at home.

However, there are two reasons to be doubtful about Ireland's chances - the foremost and obvious one being Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He looked disinterested in Stockholm when marshalled by Green, O'Shea and Clark, and if Ireland manage to cut off his supply line, he can be nullified. No striker is unstoppable, and Ireland have the discipline and experience at centre-back to get the job done. However, this is the first game of genuine intensity that Richard Dunne will have played since Euro 2012, and approaching 34, it remains to be seen if he can restore past glories (though it must be pointed out that the likes of Paul McGrath, Kevin Moran and Kenny Cunningham turned in some immense performances for Ireland in their mid-30s). O'Shea gave away a needless penalty last weekend for Sunderland, and could be vulnerable if his confidence has been dented. Zlatan is capable of scoring from even the slightest of opportunities, so in a game which promises to be tight, Ireland need to be vigilant. Cast your mind to the home game with France in 2005, when Thierry Henry was arguably the best striker in world football. Well-marshalled and quiet for most of the game, but after one lapse, the ball was in the net, and Ireland were dealt a fatal blow in the group. Such are the margins at this level.

The other lingering doubt comes from the lack of 'winning mentality' in the Irish camp. It's been over six years since Ireland won a game at home against higher-ranked opposition - and that was against Slovakia during the Staunton era. Memories of stalemates against Bulgaria, Slovakia and Austria will be vividly evoked if Ireland find themselves playing without the ball for any extended periods. Kim Kallstrom - if he starts - has the experience and talent to counter McCarthy, take the sting out of the game, and ensure decent possession for his side. If Robbie Keane is not instructed to drop back into midfield and challenge Sweden's deep-lying playmakers, Ireland's strikers could become isolated and static - also, Long will not find it easy to win 50-50 challenges against Sweden's Leviathan defenders. Ireland's form at HQ has been the bugbear of Trapattoni's reign, with Cyprus and Macedonia being the highest-ranked teams to lose in Dublin. That statistic needs to change tonight, otherwise Ireland could well be out of the running with games to spare.

Sweden's last visit to Dublin in 2006 yielded a 3-0 win for Ireland. A good omen?

There is genuine reason for optimism tonight, as Sweden are quite similar in style to Ireland, and their deficiencies are familiar ones, befitting of a team heavily influenced by the rough-and-tumble of EPL football. The visitors do have a trump card in Ibrahimovic, but Ireland should not be fearful. A stirring win at Lansdowne is overdue. The Austria game was agonisingly close to providing that victory, but Ireland look stronger and wiser now, and Sweden lack the tactical flexibility and overall technical ability that Alaba and his comrades brought to Dublin. A victory tonight can provide a much-needed confidence-boost before those daunting trips to Vienna and Cologne. Here's hoping the Irish team can live up to expectations.

Ireland: Forde; Coleman, Dunne, O'Shea, Wilson; Walters, McCarthy, Whelan, McClean; Keane, Long.

Sweden (probable): Isaksson; Granqvist, Antonsson, Nilsson, M Olsson; Larsson, Svensson, Kallstrom, Kacaniklic; Ibrahimovic; Elmander

Irish Abroad - Update

James McCarthy was the big Irish mover on transfer deadline day, completing a wholly unsurprising move to Everton, where he will link up with his old manager at Wigan, Roberto Martinez, as well as fellow Irishmen Seamus Coleman, Darron Gibson and Shane Duffy. The other big talking point of the day involved Shane Long's proposed move to Hull from West Brom, after the Baggies splashed out on Victor Anichebe. The fact that Steve Clarke was willing to part company with Long is worrying, but the Irish striker needs to kick himself back to the level he's capable of, and the arrival of Anichebe may provide the motivation.

Last weekend was a more disappointing affair for the Irish in the EPL. Although Robbie Brady put in an impressive display against Man City (his defensive effort should be noted by Trapattoni), only Coleman, O'Brien, Walters, Wilson, Westwood, O'Shea, Delaney and Long started for their clubs - a total of nine Irishmen. O'Shea gave away a penalty and was sent off for Sunderland, incurring the wrath of Paolo di Canio in the post-match interviews. In the Championship, Richard Dunne helped QPR to a clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Leeds, while Andy Reid continued his outstanding start to the season with a goal for Forest at Wigan. Across the Atlantic, Robbie Keane brought his tally to 12 goals in 15 games for the Galaxy in the 'California Classico' against San Jose Earthquakes. Anthony Stokes continued his good form for Celtic with the winner at Dundee United. In Ukraine, Darren O'Dea started for Metalurg Donetsk as they lost to Volyn.

Thankfully, the main senior Irish players came through the weekend injury-free. St. Ledger and McGeady have, as expected, lost their battles for fitness, while Joey O'Brien has been retained by West Ham, reportedly for a necessary knee procedure, which is scheduled for the international break. Stephen Kelly has the birth of his child to attend to, but may return to the squad. Anthony Pilkington has joined up with the squad for the first time, and is reportedly in the mix for a place on the wing, along with Brady, McClean, Walters and, worryingly, Simon Cox. Marc Wilson was rated doubtful, but Trapattoni is confident that he will be fit. Bristol Rovers' Greg Cunningham has been called up as a precaution.