SOCCER EURO 2012 QUALIFYING GROUP B:FOR A man who seems to crave nothing more than order when his team are on the pitch Giovanni Trapattoni scarcely looked ruffled by the mayhem that reigned at yesterday's pre-match press conference in the Armenian capital.
Between the heat and the need to stuff about twice as many reporters and cameramen as can have been envisaged by its builders into the room at the Republican stadium, things always had the potential to go a little awry.
When the host federation’s translator inexplicably gave up the ghost not long in, though, and the local media realised they were enduring so much discomfort for nothing, things briefly threatened to become ugly.
Already, there was so much noise from the photographers occupying the narrow strip of floor between the front row seats and top table much of what Trapattoni and Robbie Keane were saying could barely be made out.
The manager, though, managed to defuse the situation by coaxing the Armenian translator back into action and then, rather comically, announcing to the locals that 10 or 15 minutes of chat between the Irish press corps, himself and the captain had been solely concerned with the player’s club career.
A great show was then made of inviting a local to ask a question after which the angriest hack present calmed himself and apparently inquired if Trapattoni would be “whistling at the game tomorrow”. Some confusion followed and then some amusement.
A beaming Irish reporter loudly remarked: “And you thought we were bad, Robbie”. The Ireland captain didn’t really look like he’d changed his mind on that score but he might well have been making a mental note on the debit side in the event local champions Pyunik ever try to follow Celtic’s lead and take the striker on loan for a spell from Spurs.
Beside him, undeterred, Trapattoni told the reporter he may indeed whistle and explained if he did it was because he was having difficulty making himself heard by the players on the pitch because of the noise from the crowd. Those of us around long enough wondered amongst ourselves whether Steve Staunton, Brian Kerr, Mick McCarthy or, perish the thought, Big Jack, would have indulged our colleague to the same extent.
The Italian has on occasion, of course, been famously less diplomatic with the Fourth Estate but if he is half as smooth when dealing with his players it’s conceivable Darron Gibson actually came away from the conversation where he was told Derby’s Paul Green had effectively passed him out in the pecking order feeling fairly good about things.
Green, it was confirmed, will start alongside Glenn Whelan in central midfield this evening, while all else is as expected, with Sean St Ledger returning to partner Richard Dunne at the heart of the defence and Aiden McGeady preferred to Andy Keogh or Keith Fahey on the left wing.
Asked by another reporter who his favourites to win the group are, Trapattoni claimed “in his heart” he believes it can be Ireland.
The slightly theatrical manner in which he answered left the Armenian translator, with a certain incredulity evident in his voice, seeking confirmation that was indeed what was being said.
He got his answer, though, and it was immediately clear the locals were already wondering just how foolish the prediction would seem by this evening if Ireland can’t kick off their campaign with a win.
Keane insisted the priority was not to lose here and there is certainly the sense a defeat would badly deflate a group of players Trapattoni has worked very hard to persuade can be serious contenders.
The hosts have a young team, the majority of whom play in a league ranked close to 20 places below the League of Ireland in Europe. Still, over the past few years the likes of Serbia, Portugal and Poland have all come here for qualification games and left with less than they’d hoped for.
It’s only 12 months since the Belgians were beaten 2-1 and there is a belief that when the players apply themselves and work hard as a unit they can make life very uncomfortable for visiting sides.
Ireland are not helped by the fact that of the 11 players named to start by Trapattoni this evening, just two have been injury-free and fully involved in all of their clubs’ games since the summer.
Dunne, though, is said to be okay to play despite the quad muscle problem that has bothered him this week, while Keane hopes not to need a pain-killing injection to his knee prior to kick-off.
The heat, though not exactly punishing by 8pm when the game will start, is a factor too, with Keane admitting yesterday: “Irish people would never get used to this, it’s great for a holiday but that’s about it.”
Both sides are missing a couple of first choice players and with the home side’s losses centred on their left flank, there may be opportunities there for the visitors to exert pressure but Green’s performances in the centre, where Trapattoni insists it will be “a battle,” could be of critical importance too.
Ultimately, the game looks winnable but it’s far from a foregone conclusion. Both Trapattoni and his captain suggested yesterday the team is better equipped to achieve qualification this time.
By this evening, we will be better able to gauge whether there is really substance to those claims.
IRELAND: Given (Manchester City); O’Shea (Manchester United), Dunne (Aston Villa), St Ledger (Preston North End), Kilbane (Hull City); Lawrence (Portsmouth), Green (Derby County), Whelan (Stoke City), McGeady (Spartak Moscow); Doyle (Wolves), Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).
ARMENIA: Berezovski; Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Mkoyan, Arthur Yedigaryan; Artak Yedigaryan, Mkrtchyan; Mkhitaryan; Pachajyan, Movsisyan, Manucharyan.
v
