Ireland's senior pros may have gone as far as they can but the manager will stick by them for the time being
Richard Dunne caught the mood of frustration and despair in the Republic of Ireland squad, in the wake of the 4-0 humbling against Spain and the early exit from Euro 2012, when he suggested that his country had merely found its level. As he and several other key players began to consider their international futures, the subtext of his comments shouted loudly: What was the point of continuing?
"It might be a case that senior players could walk … I can't speak for other players, I don't think anyone has made their minds up," Dunne said. "It's very hard to take because you come to a tournament with high expectations but, realistically, are we ever going to win anything? Are we going to win the World Cup? How far can we go? At the moment, I think we've hit our level. We can compete in [qualifying] groups, we can get to play-offs and, hopefully, qualify but in actual finals … I think the European Championship is harder than World Cup finals, you've got no weaker teams."
Dunne had said before Ireland's opening Group C fixture against Croatia, which ended in a 3-1 defeat, that "I'll be around next campaign, too … fingers crossed everything is OK," but the demoralisation has bitten. Cool reflection will be required for Dunne, and the squad's other senior players, Shay Given, Robbie Keane and Damien Duff. Given has said that "it might be time to step aside".
Giovanni Trapattoni admitted that he did not sleep after the Spain game, as images of relentless red waves haunted him, while Ireland's training has lacked its edge. At times like these, when confronted by a technically meaningless final group game against Italy on Monday, there are the calls for youth and change.
It was notable that the biggest cheer during the Spain game for anything that Ireland did was reserved for James McClean's 76th-minute introduction for Duff. The 23-year-old Sunderland winger has the capacity to quicken supporters' pulses and there is the desire to see him blooded against Italy, with the Brazil World Cup campaign in mind. Trapattoni has lamented the lack of top-level experience in his squad, at either international finals or the Champions and Europa Leagues.
Yet Trapattoni is not inclined to make sweeping changes and he will start with the players that earned the qualification which, he has been keen to emphasise, was Ireland's first to the European Championship since 1988. The old guard will endure. Duff will win his 100th cap, becoming the fifth Ireland player to reach the landmark, after Given, Keane, Kevin Kilbane and Steve Staunton.
"You know the first rule of the manager?" Trapattoni said. "He must put on the pitch the strongest team. We have a friendly in August before the new campaign and in this situation, we can change and decide what to do. But not now. I can already say the future names but not Monday. When we start again, you can know the new players. One, two or three are already on the books.
"What happens if, against Italy, we change three, four, five players for the future and Italy win? What will Spain and Croatia say? It's very difficult. I have to recognise the players who got us here. I know they have honour and pride. Also, they want a good result. I don't care if Italy go home or go forward. My goal is to finish well and with honour."
Trapattoni has said that his players have felt the heaviness of the shirt, that fear has undermined them and he is keen to see the first five minutes against Italy pass without incident. Ireland conceded early against Croatia and Spain, leaving them, to paraphrase Trapattoni, attempting to write an article without a pen.
"For all seven goals we've conceded, it's been somebody's fault or two or three players' fault, somewhere along the line," Dunne said. "We've maybe got away with things in the past but at this level, you're not going to. It's a reality check but it's time to pick ourselves up. We don't want to leave without getting anything." Read More
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