IT WAS A case of history revisited in the Republic of Ireland team camp yesterday after Paul McGrath unexpectedly pulled out of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Shortly after 7.30 a.m., with the players still streaming into Dublin airport for the early morning flight to Skopje, word spread that McGrath would not be travelling because of an Achilles problem.
The immediate feeling was one of profound loss as much as shock that the Republic's most capped player would be denied the opportunity of playing his first competitive international game since the European championship play off against Holland at Anfield, 16 months ago.
Although McGrath did not even report for training at Clonshaugh on Sunday afternoon, Mick McCarthy described his absence as precautionary and dismissed suggestions that the 37 year old Derby player was struggling as inaccurate.
Yet before nightfall, he was apparently engaged in urgent discussion with McGrath about his fitness and his likelihood of recovering in time for Wednesday afternoon's kick off. Those discussions were resumed at 7.0 a.m. yesterday and eventually it was decided that the player was not fit to travel.
"I am, of course, disappointed for after watching his performance against Wales in Cardiff, I was convinced that Paul's experience could be of great use to us in this particular game.
"When he joined in the training on Saturday he jolted his Achilles. Given that he's 37 and not in the best of mettle, it took its effect. Every time Paul trains these days he suffers and, unfortunately, the problem can only get worse.
"Yet, just because somebody is missing doesn't necessarily mean that he will miss the next game. But, yes, I'm disappointed. The bottom line is, however, that I'm not prepared to gamble on anybody's fitness in a game of this importance.
It's not the first occasion that McGrath, Ireland's best player of the modern era and almost certainly the most popular, has been involved in pre match drama.
On two previous occasions he was unexpectedly withdrawn in the approach to big games, on one occasion turning up in Israel when he was scheduled to be training with his team mates in Dublin. Although there is no suggestion of any impropriety on this occasion, the manner of his unscheduled return to his home in Manchester is still controversial.
Interviewed after training on Saturday he gave no indication of a new injury problem. It was approximately at this time, however, that he was informed of press reports suggesting that he may soon be on his way out of Derby County.
Speaking of McGrath, who is reputed to earn £400,000 a year at Derby, club manager Jim Smith said: "Money is in short supply at the club and while Paul McGrath has done a fine job for us, I must consider if it can be better spent.
"When he plays a match on Saturday, he can't walk until Tuesday and in those circumstances I've got to think how many games I can get out of him in a season
McGrath confessed that Smith had given him no indication that his contract would not be renewed, but promptly expressed the view that, irrespective of Derby's decision, he will still be playing top class football next season.
A sensitive man who hasn't always found the pressures of his trade easy to handle, he remains committed to his pledge to stay in top class football until he is 40. However, this latest unexpected problem is unquestionably a serious setback.
Although McCarthy is still not prepared to speculate on his starting line up, the likelihood is that Gary Breen, who has played in all three World Cup qualifying games to date, will be deployed in the middle of the back three.
Kenny Cunningham still has realistic hopes of selection, but the more likely scenario is that Breen will be flanked by Denis Irwin on the right and Steve Staunton, if fit, on the left.
Significantly, Staunton did not train for the third consecutive day when, within hours of his arrival in a cold, wet Macedonian capital, McCarthy took his squad to a suburban ground for a brisk work out.
Staunton has played only one game for Aston Villa since sustaining the latest in a series of injuries five weeks ago. Against that background, he must still prove his fitness before the team is selected.
"Steve seems to think that he will be okay, but I have stressed to him and to others that I can afford to play only those who believe that they are 100 per cent fit. If somebody tells me that he thinks he can get through the game I'm not impressed. I need players who will be fully competitive for 90 minutes".
The manager is not prepared to risk further disappointment by rushing things at this stage, but he will have been encouraged by the fact that Tony Cascarino, another of his recent casualties, was able to do some light work in training yesterday.
It was the first action that Cascarino has seen since arriving from France, but it was enough to convince McCarthy that his veteran target man can again be pressed into action.
At this stage, it's still anybody's guess as to who will partner him in the front line, but the shrewd money is going on a fit Keith O'Neill getting the job ahead of Jon Goodman, Alan Moore and Stephen Geoghegan.
