THERE ARE PLENTY of familiar faces in Malahide this week, even if an Ireland training camp is the last place you would have expected to see some of them in recent years.
Yesterday five more joined the list, temporarily at least.
Noel King’s decision to call in a handful of Airtricity League players to help out with yesterday’s training session was a move few people expected, but this was not a big show of independence or even an attempt to curry favour within the domestic game.
Instead the five extra men — Dundalk quartet Richie Towell, Kurtis Byrne, Andy Boyle and John Sullivan, and Shamrock Rovers’ David Elebert — allowed Ireland’s interim manager to cast a watchful eye over a full-pitch 11v11 training match, a sight rarely seen in Gannon Park.
It was the latest phase in his self-declared mission to find a team and tactics that can really put it up to Germany in Friday night’s World Cup qualifier.
That is why he recalled ‘the Exiles’, Andy Reid, Darron Gibson, Anthony Stokes and Kevin Doyle. That is why on Monday he took a much more hands-on approach than his predecessor, interrupting the play to reiterate his tactical instructions.
Yesterday’s novel routine helped solve another part of the puzzle, another piece of the jigsaw.
Afterwards King admitted that he still does not know what his starting 11 will be or even what formation they will use, although all of the signs yesterday pointed to a five-man midfield to counter Germany’s expected dominance of possession.
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“The numbers are very fancy,” King joked when asked if he is leaning towards a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-2-3-1.
“When you don’t have the ball and players go into areas that they’re not supposed to be in, you have to deal with that and you have to manage that. It’s just starting positions that we’re really working.
“You have to defend and you have to attack and you have to try and counter and present counters. That’s the game. That’s what we’ve been preparing for all week.”
Richie Towell, Andy Boyle and Kurtis Byrne in Malahide yesterday (INPHO/Donall Farmer)
Record goalscorer Robbie Keane trained for the first time yesterday, adding some much-needed experience to a squad which will be missing John O’Shea, Richard Dunne and their combined 171 caps to suspension on Friday night.
Keane can play as a lone striker if that is what’s required, King stressed, as can Anthony Stokes and Kevin Doyle.
Changing the formation is a bit of a risk but against a German side this good, what isn’t?
“Of course there’s a huge concern but you have to play some formation and you’ll be concerned about everything you do.
“At the same time you have to work with a belief, work with a strategy that you think will get you a result. That’s what we’re doing.
At the moment they’re very much buying into it. There are obviously things that have to be tweaked.
They have knowledge, they have great experience and I intend to use all of that for the one focus and the one aim and ambition: to try and win the game.
There are many paths to that aim, but while Trapattoni regularly referred to Chelsea’s Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich as the blueprint for the success his team could achieve, King doesn’t see any quick fix or one size fits all.
Instead Ireland will have to be prepared for what Germany throw at them — and prepared to take whatever chances come their way.
Ciaran Clark: one of those out to impress (INPHO/Donall Farmer)
“Each game is different. You don’t know how the game flows and you just have to be ready.
“If there’s an opportunity to press and go at them or if you’re forced to defend, you have to do what you have to do to try and win the game.
We’re not the strongest football nation in the world so sometimes we can’t play the game the way we want to play, but there’s a game to be fought for and there’s points to be won.
“We will do whatever we think possible, whatever we think is the right thing, to do that.”
Some people need to realise what players are unavailable to the manager before making stupid comments. As for King’s pre match comments. ..more sense in a couple of days than we had in the past 6 years.
So far Noel King is talking a really good game. therefore if his talk, preparation and game plan can garner a half decent performance, from the players we have at our disposal, on Friday night and next Tuesday…Then why not give him the job?
Both opponents are poles apart in calibre and style, so his approach to each game needs to differ accordingly…It’s the perfect opportunity to judge any would-be manager’s ability.
Noel King also has another crucial facet over his predecessor and some of those mentioned as successors to Trap, and that’s a love of, commitment to and deep understanding of Irish football and the psyche of the Irish fans. I reckon too, he’d be a lot cheaper than some of the names mentioned, yet he would always give the job 100%.
They know they are playing the most difficult of opponents, a team of players who have nothing to play for except pride not only in their country but in themselves.
And don’t let stokes anywhere near the pitch. Long is the much better player playing in a much tougher league. Let stokes play at his level against the world famous Inverness caley thistle
That’s the one, who plays 6 (if he’s lucky) matches in it compared to longs 38 games. Look at hooper, do you think he wanted to play 6 or 38 games at the highest level? Same goes for wanyama
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even tho it’s just for pride I hope we beat Germany, go out in style :) UP THE IRISH
king is like a breath of fresh air would be a great assistant for the new manager
Some people need to realise what players are unavailable to the manager before making stupid comments. As for King’s pre match comments. ..more sense in a couple of days than we had in the past 6 years.
So far Noel King is talking a really good game. therefore if his talk, preparation and game plan can garner a half decent performance, from the players we have at our disposal, on Friday night and next Tuesday…Then why not give him the job?
Both opponents are poles apart in calibre and style, so his approach to each game needs to differ accordingly…It’s the perfect opportunity to judge any would-be manager’s ability.
Noel King also has another crucial facet over his predecessor and some of those mentioned as successors to Trap, and that’s a love of, commitment to and deep understanding of Irish football and the psyche of the Irish fans. I reckon too, he’d be a lot cheaper than some of the names mentioned, yet he would always give the job 100%.
I just hate to see an opportunity wasted!
Think you mean “lone striker” not “loan striker”…
Thanks Sean
We could do with a few “loan” players too!
Get on Ireland for the draw at 6/1..zee Germans are nothing ;)
Ah sure if we win or draw we ll all be calling for him to get the job
Com on d Town!!!!!!
Do Germany know who they’re playing!
Good idea. Lets surprise them and send out the Clare hurlers kitted out in full regalia.
They know they are playing the most difficult of opponents, a team of players who have nothing to play for except pride not only in their country but in themselves.
You watch to many films.they know they’re playing a sh!te team and have nothing to fear
That seems like a question, but with an exclamation mark
Who’s enda shouting for
The 4-2-31 formation could be really exciting…..
O’shea dunne clarke coleman
MCarthy Gibson
Brady Hoolian Pilkinton
stokes
Now that team could play some football. Long would not be included because he has not been at the races at all lately, robbie keane as an inpact sub.
Is gea and dunne are suspended
Good post, Wilson & St Ledger for the suspended Dunne & O’ Shea and we are all set.
And Brady is out after having an operation…
And don’t let stokes anywhere near the pitch. Long is the much better player playing in a much tougher league. Let stokes play at his level against the world famous Inverness caley thistle
Is that Stokes, the same Stokes who is the only Irish player in the Champions League?
That’s the one, who plays 6 (if he’s lucky) matches in it compared to longs 38 games. Look at hooper, do you think he wanted to play 6 or 38 games at the highest level? Same goes for wanyama
Will we get away with 41 players on the pitch though??? 31 players up top might get cramped
We should score with all them players up front / offsides could be a problem tho
Hoppers not exactly getting much game time down there, should have chose the six!
Dont turn up. Problem solved.