Euro 2024: Crucial fixtures require results
Adam Idah with manager Stephen Kenny at squad training in Turkey. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
AT THE time this goes to press, Ireland have yet to face Greece in Athens, with Group B resuming its matches and with it the hope of us qualifying for Euro 2024. So we are hoping that Stephen Kenny’s men have acquitted themselves well enough to set us up nicely for a home victory on Monday night against Gibraltar helping our desire to string a couple of victories together.
It seems a long time ago now that we opened the group qualification with a rather unfortunate defeat at the hands of at the Aviva back in March 27. We did well and put it up to the French, frustrating the World Cup finalists for large parts of the match. Only to come up short to a sweetly struck Benjamin Pavard goal on the 50-minute mark, followed by the heartbreaking conclusion to the game that saw the French keeper Mike Maignan deny Nathan Collins a famous late equaliser.
A moral victory against a recent World Cup champion is always acceptable for any manager, not to mind an Irish boss, but a lot more will be expected in these next series of matches as they probably are our best chances of picking up some points in a tougher than tough group that contains not only the World Cup finalists but also the mighty Dutch.
Earlier in the month, Kenny named his squad for these matches and the late injuries to Seamus Coleman, Andrew Omobamidele, and sadly from a Cork point of view, Chiedozie Ogbene cost them a place in the forthcoming games.
Shane Duffy missed out on a place due to his lack of match time after a fruitless loan period with Fulham from Brighton and his new contract with Norwich coming too late in the season.
Uncapped Liam Scales and Jack Taylor are in the squad as are the veteran players Jeff Hendrick and Cork’s Alan Browne, back earlier than expected from injury.
All eyes will be on Evan Ferguson again as the young Brighton star looks to build on a spectacular introduction season with the Seagulls. He looks likely to be partnered with Michael Obafemi for an exciting attacking formation if needed, with another Cork regular in Adam Idah available should he be required.
Having failed to qualify for a major tournament on both attempts during the Kenny reign there is now a growing desire to see progress pay a dividend, all be it though expectations of qualifying for the German-hosted tournament next summer were radically tempered once and the Netherlands were picked out of the draw pot.
Nevertheless, the long-suffering Irish fans has been generous with their during the Kenny years so far and there is a growing desire and presumption that we need to bag a few points and wins more so than recent years.
Easier said than done, and while the hunger, desire and even expectation of progress is there among Irish football fans, there is also the awareness of the reality that confronts Kenny and his backroom team when it comes to finding the players and talent to make an impact at this level. Then there is the lengthy time many of the squad have had between playing for their club and the first international match against Greece last night.
Out of Kenny’s 25-man squad, 16 play in either the Championship or League One sides. Their season ended on May 8, leaving a six-week gap between their final club game and the next international one. That has offered enough time for recovery but long enough for players’ bodies to slip into off-peak summer mode without peak training. Which is why the squad needed the pre-match journey to Turkey for heat training, virtually an early pre-season camp, but in the middle of June rather than the end of July.
If Kenny had a bunch of players from Premier League clubs to choose from then this wouldn’t be an issue as they were playing until last week in most cases, last weekend for the more elite finisher.
But unfortunately, he hasn’t such luxuries and he only has four players with regular first team Premier League appearances. Seamus Coleman, Nathan Collins, Evan Ferguson and Gavin Bazunu can be considered top-flight regulars.
Coleman is out injured, Bazuna has fallen out of favour at Southampton, while nine of young Evan Ferguson’s 19 appearances came from the substitutes bench.
This week saw the 35th anniversary of Ray Houghton’s goal for Ireland against England in the Euro 88 finals, also in coincidently enough. A team, which like the current team, were up against much more favoured sides. Unlike the current team, the 88 Irish side was full of players from clubs not only in the top-flight but also most were from the likes of Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal.
As you'd expect from any Irish squad, you know this current team will give it their all but inexperience and inactivity at this level makes success a real uphill task. Hopefully we have bagged a point at least last night and can face Gibraltar on Monday with new confidence. We hope.
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