Shouldering the most familiar of criticisms

It’s European Championship playoff time, and the Irish fans and media are in a state of apoplexy, calling for the manager’s head despite just eliminating a team who made the knock-out stages of the previous World Cup. The manager is being slated for playing negative football, and throwing away valuable points which could have, and should have, secured top spot in the group. He is ignoring some outstanding young talent in the English top-flight, which could propel the Irish team to greatness if only he were brave enough to unleash them. The manager must go, they cry!

No, it’s not Trapattoni. Rewind twelve years to Mick McCarthy, and Ireland’s attempt to qualify for Euro 2000. His refusal to pick young players like the great Stephen McPhail, the great Michael Reddy, and the great Jason Gavin, were cited as reasons for our demise in that campaign, along with ultra-negative displays in Croatia and Macedonia - made all the more frustrating by the intermittent periods of fine football at home to Yugoslavia and Croatia. Surely, McCarthy, with his tactical naivety, stubbornness, and faith in the older players, wasn’t the right man to lead Ireland to the next World Cup?

However, history proved McCarthy right. That same squad of players, with minor tweaking, got us to the following World Cup, eliminating Holland en route. In retrospect, sacking McCarthy, ripping it up, and starting again, would have seriously derailed the team and scuppered hopes of qualification for 2002. Trapattoni now sits astride the exact same bacon slicer as McCarthy all those years ago, even with qualification still within reach. The football is too negative, young players are not being given a chance... It’s the same old pie-in-the-sky whinging, and it’s become tiresome; Brian Kerr was ostracised in the same way, for the same reasons. Staunton chopped and changed squads on short-term form, deployed attacking central midfielders, and picked a large quota of young players. Look where that got us.

While I agree that Trapattoni should not be immune to criticism (Paul Green springs to mind), the positives from this campaign have far outweighed the negatives. We have ground out results against the kind of teams that have caused Ireland problems before. Draws against Israel spelled the end for Brian Kerr; McCarthy still shudders at the thought of Macedonia. Trapattoni has no such regrets. The problems with the Irish side pre-date Trapattoni – a reliance on England to develop our players, the low success rate of youths who go to EPL academies, the slipshod link between the League of Ireland and grassroots football, and the ever-present competition from rugby and Gaelic Games. These factors are more to blame than Trapattoni for our lack of collective technical skill, and our tactical inflexibility. These are not new complaints.

People talk about our emerging young talent and how it’s being ignored – yet the latest ‘martyr’, Seamus Coleman, has started five out of Ireland’s twelve games this year, without making a greater impression than that of Stephen Hunt or an aging Damien Duff. James McCarthy struggles to get into a terrible Wigan side, and his early appearances for Ireland have been unremarkable. For every Roy Keane we produce, there are ten times as many overhyped underachievers - McPhail, Alan Quinn, Shaun Thornton and Liam Miller come to mind; advocates of our young Wigan protégé would do well to remember those names. Critics also forget that Trap has picked promising young players like McCarthy, Meyler, Wilson, Clark and Cunningham for squads, only for them to get injured, forcing Trap to turn to our vast reserves of grizzled journeymen, who have done a solid (if unspectacular) job.

Looking at it in perspective, Scotland have Fletcher and Adam; Wales have Ramsey; Slovakia have Hamsik; Belgium have Hazard and Defour. Ireland do not (yet) have anyone of that ilk to choose in central midfield, yet here we are, ahead of all those teams, on the brink of our first European Championship in twenty-four years. Let’s put it into perspective and enjoy it. The margins between qualification and failure are extremely delicate - this kind of excitement might not happen for another twenty years.

The Ireland selection ladder - Summer 2011

A spate of withdrawals and the emergence of some new fringe players has given Trapattoni something of a headache with regard to future squad selection. This guide will attempt to make some sense of the likely first-team regulars, along with those in the squad and on the fringes.

First-team starters:

1. Richard Dunne

Though Ireland won without him in Skopje, his presence was certainly missed. There is a big drop-off in quality behind Dunne in the centre-back position, and Ireland were extremely lucky to keep a clean sheet against Pandev and Trikovski in a troubling first half. Bigger tests await, and if Ireland are to be competitive in September, Dunne needs to be fit.

2. Shay Given

Given proved his worth yet again with a point-blank save from Pandev in Skopje with the score at 1-0. The emergence of Westwood and Forde gives Ieland more depth in the position, but Given still can't be dropped.

3. Robbie Keane

Like Given, he's had a relatively inactive season, and viable alternatives have emerged in the event of an injury. However, five goals in three games have seen Keane make a big statement about what he offers, and regardless of his club situation, he will not be dropped this September.

4. Kevin Doyle

Competition for places has intensified up front with the emergence of Cox and the improvement of Long; however, Doyle rightly remains first-choice. Rumours about a switch to Arsenal may be speculative, but he deserves better than relegation battles every year.

5. John O'Shea

Versatility alone will guarantee a place in the starting line-up, either at full-back or centre-back, depending on who is available. Spent a lot of time injured last season, but a good pre-season should keep him sharp for the big September games.

6. Damien Duff

Despite a few niggling injuries, Duff has had his best season since the Chelsea days. He remains Ireland's most accomplished wide player when fit, and his close control, dribbling and footballing brain still gives Ireland a dimension that the more direct Coleman, Hunt and Lawrence can't yet provide.

7. Aiden McGeady

Seems to have stepped up a level since moving to Spartak; seems much more determined to get on the ball and provide an outlet since the start of this campaign. Duff and McGeady remain Ireland's foremost threats in the wide positions.

8. Glenn Whelan

A mainstay in Trapattoni's midfield and will not be dropped. Misplaced several simple passes in Skopje, but rarely gave away any space to the Macedonian playmakers, and is important in the general defensive shape of the team. Will need to raise his game in the autumn.

9. Sean St. Ledger

Ahead of Stephen Kelly in the picture, and will take his place at centre-back alongside Dunne, with O'Shea at right-back. Was very assured against Italy, and was missed in the Macedonia double-header.

10. Keith Andrews

Has leapfrogged Darron Gibson and Keith Fahey over the last four games to win back his place. A seemingly inevitable move to the Championship won't cost Andrews his place, even if Gibson, James McCarthy and David Meyler start the season as regulars in the top division. Trapattoni likes him, and he's done little wrong since coming back from injury. Like Whelan, he cannot afford to be out of form this autumn.

11. Kevin Kilbane

Though Kilbane has not made any glaring mistakes in an Irish shirt since gifting Bulgaria an equaliser in Sofia two years ago, his selection continues to evoke exasperation among many fans. Trapattoni seems to currently view him as less of a risk than any of the younger players he has tried out, and it's not an unreasonable viewpoint - Clark was less-than-impressive against Uruguay, and Cunningham is a 20-year-old with only half a season in the Championship behind him. Though Stephen Ward has looked solid in recent friendlies, Kilbane remains the man in possession.

In the squad

12. Stephen Ward

Ward has given himself a fighting chance of usurping Kilbane, with solid performances in clean-sheet friendly games against Northern Ireland, Scotland and Italy. He's certainly the frontrunner to challenge Kilbane for the troublesome left-back position, and may get another chance against Croatia. However, one would feel that Trapattoni is reluctant to change the side at this vital stage, and the vast experience of Kilbane may win out.

13. Stephen Kelly

Did well enough in Macedonia, and is currently ahead of Foley and McShane for the reserve right-back slot behind O'Shea. Has been used at centre-back, but clearly lacks the height and physicality for the role. An injury to any one of O'Shea, Dunne or St. Ledger will put Kelly into the side.

14. Stephen Hunt

Still behind Duff and McGeady on technical ability alone, but good performances on the right have put him firmly back into position as the next in line. Superb in Skopje, and given Duff's injury record, he may well start against Slovakia.

15. Shane Long

When fully-fit, must be first-choice backup to Doyle and Keane. Ireland's most improved player over the last twelve months.

16. Darron Gibson

Because of his 'soft' withdrawal from the summer squad, he finds himself behind Andrews again. Needs to sort his club situation out quickly; it would be interesting to see how he fares as a regular starter in the EPL. Beyond the first-choice pair, Ireland were down to the bare bones in central midfield over May and June, and Gibson will surely come back into the squad.

17. Seamus Coleman

Is behind several players for a spot on the wing, but has now climbed ahead of Lawrence and possibly Fahey for right-midfield, given his comfortable performance against Italy and his outstanding season for Everton. Moyes is talking about blooding Coleman as a right-back, and such versatility may appeal to Trapattoni.

18. Kevin Foley

Started the Macedonia home game at right-back, but a shaky defensive display saw him lose his place for the return, and recent games have been in central midfield, where he's done little wrong. Versatility will certainly keep him in the squad.

19. Keith Fahey

Hasn't played much recently, but can play anywhere across midfield and has already made a valuable contribution in the qualifying campaign.

20. Keiren Westwood

Stock has risen remarkably with his move to Sunderland. Excellent understudy for Given, and surely his eventual heir.

21. Darren O'Dea

Started the last two competitive games, but his club situation is not ideal. Unwanted at Celtic, and most of his football has been played out of position on loan at Ipswich. Despite some crunching tackles, he looked slow and ponderous at times in the games against Macedonia, and despite being solid for the U-21s in his time, it's hard to know how good he actually can be. Most suspect that Ciaran Clark is a better prospect, but O'Dea may find himself ahead in the short-term as fourth-choice centre-back.

22. Simon Cox

Proved a surprisingly effective partner for Keane against Northern Ireland and Macedonia, and scored as a sub against Italy. Seems like a good option, and Irish fans will be taking much more notice of him for West Brom next season. May well have stepped ahead of Keogh, Walters and Best in the strikers' queue

23. David Forde

Now firmly established as Ireland's third-choice goalkeeper after a solid display against Italy.

24. Paul McShane

The maligned right-back is behind O'Shea and Kelly, and when everyone was fit in March, he found himself out of the squad. With Coleman and Foley also able to play right-back, there logically shouldn't be a place for him, but Trapattoni likes his aggression and 'mentality', so he may find his way into a 25-man squad.

25. Ciaran Clark

Unlucky to lose out to both O'Dea and Ward for starting spots recently. Outstanding prospect who shouldn't be written off for a shaky game against Uruguay. The September games may come too soon for him to make a starting case, but definitely one for the future. Interesting to see how he fares under McLeish at Villa.

On the fringes

26. Liam Lawrence

Strange situation for Lawrence, as he's gradually dropped down the pecking order since the Russia game. The outstanding form of Coleman and McGeady, coupled with returns for Duff and Hunt, have seen to that. Being out of sight and mind at Portsmouth doesn't do him any favours.

27. James McCarthy

Ireland's brightest prospect in years, but has been in the news for the wrong reasons in the past year, with unwarranted speculation accompanying a succession of withdrawals from Ireland squads. He has reaffirmed his commitment recently, and should find himself named in an extended squad for the Croatia game, if Trapattoni wants him. However, despite playing as an orthodox midfielder for Wigan, Trapattoni appears to see his role further up the pitch. McCarthy may not get a chance in the remainder of this campaign, which is a shame, given Ireland's lack of real ability in central midfield.

28. Damien Delaney

Similar player to Clark and O'Dea, and didn't do a lot wrong when called upon in the Nation's Cup. Could even sneak in ahead of Clark if the Villa man isn't playing first-team football in August.

29. Marc Wilson

Trapattoni was disappointed in his summer no-show, and he may bear the manager's wrath. However, unlike Best, Stokes and Walters, Wilson offers options in a number of positions, and may find it easier to get back in.

30. Keith Treacy

Left-winger who would find himself a long way down the pecking order when everyone is fit. Looks a tidy player with considerable confidence and a few tricks. Needs to find a club after Preston's relegation.

31. Andy Keogh

Hasn't played much football over the last two years, and it is difficult to see what he offers besides work-rate. However, his good behaviour in showing up to the camp in May will stand to him in Trap's eyes.

32. Jon Walters

Was a stand-out performer at the back-end of Stoke's season, and impressed against Wales - but withdrawing from the Irish squad may come back to haunt him. Much more effective than Keogh, but Trapattoni might feel he can make a principled point about 'dedication' by excluding Walters for Keogh, seeing as neither player is likely to get on the field in a competitive game.

33. Greg Cunningham

Will be back from injury at the start of the season, but needs a loan move again. Trapattoni seemed to have faith in him, but with Clark and Ward getting their chances, Cunningham may need to be patient. A pity, as he looks like an excellent prospect.

34. David Meyler

Some reports have him back for pre-season, other reports have him out 'tentatively' until much later. Either way, if he recovers fully from his knee injuries and regains the form he's capable of for Sunderland, then Trap will have a hard job leaving him out of a squad. He ticks all the boxes for a Trap midfielder; big, strong, athletic, not afraid of a tackle, and seems like a dedicated pro. He can pass the ball too, which is always a bonus. If injuries can be overcome, he looks like having a solid international career. It's a big 'if', though, and this autumn will almost certainly come too soon for him.

35. Leon Best

Had a purple patch for Newcastle at the turn of the year, but may find himself a long way down the pecking order after withdrawing from the squad in May. He appears to be quite injury-prone, which could make it difficult for him to get back into the reckoning.

Wild Card: Wes Hoolahan

Hoolahan got on the Championship team of the year with some excellent performances at the head of Norwich's 'diamond' formation last year. His style of play is quite maverick, but he has played in the wide positions before, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the EPL. Trapattoni has included him in squads before, and gave him an international début in 2008, so he's not an unknown quantity. Hard to see him adding to his caps, but may feel aggrieved to see Keith Treacy and Andy Keogh ahead of him.

An objective appraisal of Robbie Keane

'It's a good thing for Knobbie Keane that he gets to play so many games against teams like Andorra and Macedonia.' - a friend, the day after Robbie Keane scored his 50th and 51st goals for Ireland.

Robbie Keane divides opinion in Ireland and abroad. Despite scoring 51 goals in 108 internationals, being the joint tenth top-scorer in the Premier League era and Tottenham's ninth-highest goalscorer of all time, very few players of his standing in the game attract more criticism or scorn. He's never been a violent or thuggish player, never brought the game into disrepute or been guilty of serious misconduct. He's never deliberately got anyone sent off, never been needlessly sent off in a big match. His biggest crime? Being, in the words of a notorious pundit, a 'good player, but not a great player'. Is Robbie Keane's story one of unfulfilled potential, or that of a great pro who made the best of his talent, who just didn't get the breaks at the highest level of club football?

Within a handful of games for Ireland, it was clear that Keane had a completely different skill-set to previous Irish strikers. His technique was evidently superior, and he had a willingness to try the unpredictable; his finishing, as exhibited against Malta, Yugoslavia and Turkey in the Euro 2000 campaign, was usually confident, emphatic and off-the-cuff. In the years beforehand, Ireland's main strikers had been lumbering, old-fashioned centre-forwards like Quinn and Cascarino, or workmanlike but unspectacular forwards such as Aldridge and Coyne. The Irish attack favoured the methods of brute force and aerial prowess to inflict panic and confusion in opposition defences, and more often than not, it worked.

However, qualification for Euro '96 had been scuppered by a 0-0 draw in Liechtenstein, while Mick McCarthy's first World Cup campaign foundered on inept home draws with Iceland and Lithuania. It was clear that Ireland needed someone with genuine technique, good movement and ruthless finishing ability to complement the height of Niall Quinn. Keane immediately met that criteria, and was undoubtedly the find of the Euro 2000 campaign. Only a last-minute goal in Macedonia denied him a first finals appearance.

All the while, he had become the most expensive teenager in the Premiership, the high point of an 11-goal season being a début brace against Derby, and a cheeky flick past David Seaman in a home win over Arsenal. Anything seemed possible for Keane at that stage, and a twelve million pound bid from Inter Milan brought Keane, aged just twenty, to the San Siro. However, his new manager, Marcello Lippi, was sacked just one game into the new season, and Keane fell out of favour. A move to Leeds followed, and while his loan move was a distinct success (9 goals in 18 games), his permanent move was soured when Leeds broke the bank for Robbie Fowler, relegating Keane to sporadic appearances, mostly from the bench. His form for Ireland also nosedived, with his longest goalscoring drought (8 games) coming in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. He did end the run with a fine volley against Iran in the playoff, and went on to perform heroics in the World Cup itself, netting against Germany, Saudi Arabia and Spain, but question marks remained about the direction of his club career.

His eventual move to Spurs, and the six years he spent there, yielded 107 goals in 251 appearances, bringing him into the top ten goalscorers in Tottenham history. In that time, Ireland failed to qualify for three major tournaments, with Keane criticised for 'failing to deliver' against the big teams, with most of his goals coming in friendlies, or against the lesser lights of the qualifying groups. He scored 2 in 6 games in the Euro 2004 qualifiers, 4 in 7 in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, and 4 in 11 games during the catastrophic Euro 2008 qualifiers under Steve Staunton. The highest-ranked teams he scored against in this six-year period were Albania and Israel.

The discrepancy between his club and international form was a source of irritation for many Irish fans during this period. Keane was at the undoubted peak of his powers for a perennial top-half Premier League side, but the Irish team was in a slump, and as Ireland lurched from one disappointment to another, popular opinion turned against Keane. The scrutiny intensified when he was named as Irish captain in 2006.

The blame attributed to Keane for Ireland's malaise was totally disproportionate, however; gaping holes in the central midfield position, a lack of squad depth, Brian Kerr's conservatism and Staunton's tactical ineptitude were all factors in Keane's lack of goals. It shouldn't go unnoticed that Keane's regular strike partners, Clinton Morrison and Kevin Doyle, fared little better in the big games, while the outrageously talented Damien Duff was ploughing an increasingly lonely furrow on the wing, despite the swagger of his title-winning Chelsea exploits. The team had far more serious problems than the form of the top scorer.

Ireland began a revival in 2008 under Giovanni Trapattoni, with Keane becoming a key figure in the 2010 Word Cup qualifiers. Unfortunately, his club career was undergoing a significant turning point, with an ill-fated 20 million pound move to Liverpool. The politics behind the scenes at Anfield are well-documented, and I won't recount them here; but Keane's record of 7 goals in 21 starts is far from the disaster it was made out to be, and goals against PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal were considerable highlights. Compared to the eighteen months Fernando Morientes was previously given to net his eight goals for Liverpool, and the faith invested in the negligible talent of David N'Gog, Keane was certainly treated shabbily by Liverpool.

However, to apply the highest level of criticism, it may have been that Keane just wasn't outstanding enough to fit the criteria of an elite Champions League striker. Throughout his career, Keane has relied on his well-honed striker's instinct and above-average technique to score goals; but his general one-footedness and lack of aerial ability arguably stopped him from being more 'complete', and he's never had blinding pace or awesome physical strength, which are usually pre-requisite attributes for a 'Top 4' striker in the modern EPL.

The Liverpool setback, and his return to Spurs, began a gradual decline in his fortunes and reputation at club level. However, his international form has since been exceptional, with six goals in the 2010 qualifiers, including an equaliser against Italy and a memorable opener in France as Ireland gradually regained their competitiveness and respectability under Giovanni Trapattoni. A brace against Macedonia in June 2011 took his record to nineteen in twenty-seven games under the Italian, and at international level at least, he looks more accomplished than ever.

However, there is a feeling in EPL circles that, like Michael Owen, Benjani, Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy, there is an air of 'damaged goods' about Ireland's all-time top goalscorer. Transfers always involve certain risks, particularly for ageing forward players, and Keane's injury-hit spell at West Ham did little for his market value. There are many uncertainties in Keane's immediate future, but it would be a shame if the ninth-top goalscorer in the Premier League era was to befall the ignominy of more bench-warming or demotion to the Championship. Any brief glance at the statistics would suggest he's better than that.

Keane has had quite an inconsistent career; opinion is generally divided, even in Ireland, as to his overall merits. People don't warm easily to Keane, perhaps because he doesn't fit the expectations of the Irish sports star; the grounded rural lads who stay close to their roots, the Paul O'Connells and Henry Shefflins of this world. He's a cocky backstreet Dub who probably wouldn't have amounted to a great deal in life if not for soccer. He is as close to a 'continental' forward as Ireland have ever had; not just for his technique and flamboyance, but an infuriating tendency to moan at referees when decisions don't go his way. I would argue that his on-field protests are more often symptoms of highly-strung frustration than, say, the aggressive, expletive-filled tirades that often utter forth from Wayne Rooney, or the calculated theatrics of Didier Drogba - but it does affect people's judgement of the player.

So is Keane an example of unfulfilled potential? Hard to say. If he had more stability in the early part of his career, as John Giles has suggested, he may have ironed out the kinks in his game and become a more refined and consistent striker. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

Watching Ireland play live, one notices that he works extremely hard for the team, and does a lot of running which goes undetected by the cameras. Indeed, many of his travails at Anfield were the result of Keane 'trying too hard' when it was clear he was under intense pressure from the manager to justify his fee. It doesn't smack of a player who failed for lack of application or dedication. His technical and physical limitations probably account for any 'failure' in Keane's career; he was, perhaps, some way short of 'world class', but there are hundreds of more technically gifted footballers around the world who have achieved far less than Keane. Javier Saviola, Ariel Ortega, Giovanni dos Santos and Roman Riquelme, for example, are not similarly derided for failing at top clubs. Irish players such as Anthony Stokes and Andy Reid had precocious talents, perhaps equal to those of Keane's - yet their achievements in the game pale in comparison, despite being given numerous chances in their careers. In the great divide between the 'good pro' and the 'frustrating maverick', Keane surely comes out on the better side.

To deride Keane's achievement in international football is puerile, however. International football does lack the overall quality of the current Champions League, or the top six of the EPL; there are plenty of games against limited and awkward opponents which fail to attract the imagination of the general public. However, you can only play what's in front of you. Keane's goals have saved Ireland from plenty of Liechtenstein/Lithuania-type embarrassments over the years, and kept Ireland in the running in groups that would have slipped away much earlier. In the EPL, he has been neglected by his manager at Spurs for reasons that appear more personal than based on footballing merit; his goal-per-game ratio for Spurs is a healthy 0.38, compared to those of Defoe (0.33), Pavlyuchenko (0.27) and Crouch (0.16). He's still a valuable footballer, and hopefully a good season in the Premier League and a summer in Ukraine and Poland next year will exorcise some of the cynics.