IT WAS ONLY a draw — against a slightly weakened Italian side too — but Ireland gave us a glimpse of an optimistic future last Saturday night.
After the defeats against Serbia and Turkey, this was the most encouraging performance yet.
There are still areas for concern — most notably the lack of goals when Robbie Keane is not in the squad.
But there was also evidence that Martin O’Neill’s masterplan is beginning to take hold with his players.
“The way he wants you to play is high tempo, breaking things up in their third. It showed against Italy,” Paul Green explained today before the squad flew out to America.
“Jeff [Hendrick] and [David] Meyler were breaking things up in their third and going on the attack. We had the better chances.”
On a personal note, Green had to be content with five minutes as a late sub in Craven Cottage.
With Glenn Whelan, Marc Wilson and James McCarthy all unavailable, O’Neill tried out Meyler and Hendrick in the centre of midfield.
They didn’t disappoint, hassling and harrying Italy in possession.
From the bench, Green noticed the change in emphasis. In the more cautious days of Giovanni Trapattoni, he was always designated in a deeper role, waiting for the action to come to him rather than forcing the issue.
“Obviously with Trapattoni giving me my chance, I’m very grateful,” he said. “It was a bit more of a sitting role under himself.
The way Martin wants you to play now, it’s high tempo, breaking things up in their third. We are really pressing as a team now and it would be great for me to do that.
Those tactics are playing to Ireland’s strengths, he added.
“We’ve got a lot of energy in the team, and with Aidy [McGeady] and McClean on each side we’ve got a bit of pace on wings.
“Longy up front can create chances out of nothing and with Wes as well, we’ve got a bit of creativity.”
On the club front, Green’s future is still up in the air since his release by Leeds last month but that can wait until Ireland’s end-of-season camp is over, he says.
His brief cameo on Saturday night was his third cap since O’Neill and Keane took charge in November.
The 0-0 draw in Poland was the only time he played the full 90 minutes but he’s hoping to impress again if he gets his chance against Costa Rica and Portugal.
“I showed what I can do over there [in Poland].
“It would be nice to get a few more minutes under my belt over in America but that’s up to the gaffer. If needs be, I’ll be ready.”
