STEPHEN WARD DOESN’T need to be reminded how easy it is to fall out of favour in international football.
Now he’s hoping that the road back is just as straightforward.
Last summer Ward went to the European Championships with his place in Giovanni Trapattoni’s starting line-up seemingly secure.
Fast forward 18 months and the Dubliner is happy just to be back in contention again.
“It was tough obviously. Not being in the squad is obviously tough but I tried not to let it affect me.
“We were having a tough enough time at club level, trying to make sure that we stayed in the league which we couldn’t.”
During the final months of Trap’s tenure, the Italian made it clear that Ward’s club form at struggling Wolves was doing his international prospects no favours.
Wolves were eventually relegated to League One and Dean Saunders was sacked. On the first day of pre-season, new manager Kenny Jackett made it clear that Ward was free to leave.
Abrupt, yes, but in hindsight it was the best thing that could have happened to him. He moved back up to the Championship on a season-long loan to Brighton where he has been virtually an ever-present, featuring in 13 of Albion’s 15 league games.
That form was enough to earn him an international recall as Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane prepare to chart a new course with Ireland, starting with Friday’s friendly against Latvia.
“I think it was important that I got away from Wolves and important that I got back playing and enjoying my football at a team that’s going in the right direction.
We had a disappointing year last year and the way Wolves were going probably affected a couple of Irish lads in the squad.It’s nice to have got away and I’m enjoying my football now and I’ve got a spring back in my step. It’s nice to be back playing and going out there every week and enjoying the game.
INPHO/Donall Farmer
He added: “It’s tough when the team’s not winning and you’re not winning games. I felt we were doing ok as a team but not hitting the heights that we had been.
“When a team’s in that sort of relegation battle, your form’s probably not as good as it’s going to be when things are going well. It definitely suffered a little bit and the relegation was a big disappointment for us.
“It’s nice to have that bit of freshness and that new start.”
Ward’s last international cap came last November against Greece but when Trapattoni deemed that he was surplus to requirements, there was no phone call or text message.
Ward, unlike others in the squad, never grumbled.
“That’s the way he works and at the end of the day he’s not going to change for anyone really. That’s how he does it and you’ve got to respect the manager.
“When the manager’s in charge you’ve got to back his philosophy and back the way he works.
I didn’t expect a call. I didn’t look at my phone thinking ‘is he going to call me here, there or everywhere?’ You’ve got to accept it.We’re all adults as well and if that’s the way he wants to do his work, you’ve got to respect that.
The new management have certainly captured the public’s imagination and as Ward aims to re-establish himself as a squad regular, he knows the opportunity is there for a fresh start.
“They’re two big names in football. I think it’s the appointment that we really needed after a manager with such a big profile as Giovanni Trapattoni.
“I think we needed two big names like that coming in and it has definitely given the place a lift.”
