Ho-Hum. It's still boom time but certain key indicators point to recession. Being 10 down at home to Andorra being one of them. What to say, how to say it. Could have been worse? At least we have our health? Yes but we're insured? Never mind the quality feel the points? Mick McCarthy came to the press-room looking slightly haunted. Dodged a bullet but feeling poorly.
"I hate these games. We're not going to win friends or plaudits. If we'd have won by 10, people would have said should have done more. It's a boring coaches' managerism I'm giving you but that's how it is." Spring evening in Lansdowne Road. Rain slanting down. Nobody with the surname Keane on the pitch. Lidefons Lima scores for Andorra. Fine meaty header too. Fiesta cancelled. One nil down to the ski resort. All is quiet except for some booing. What was going through your head Mick?
"I think the words `oh shit' flashed in. Then how are we going to get a goal, how will we get back. All sorts of thoughts. How are we going to get back in to this."
It was one of those evenings. Mick McCarthy briefly contemplating retiring to a little bungalow with Bernard O' Byrne, several players in deference to the team sponsors merely phoning in their performances. And little Andorra playing with 11 behind the ball but still scoring and going into a celebration which would be illegal in many fundamentalist countries. Mick McCarthy watched. Didn't enjoy it much.
"It's frustrating but they are entitled to be in the group. I don't enjoy the way they play. Don't like the rolling around wasting time. But I understand it. It's frustrating yes. Our first goal came from what we were screaming at them to do, hitting a diagonal ball to Gary Doherty instead of a straight ball. Dave Connolly got beat up a bit. Not much room. He was frustrated afterwards but you have to expect that from big daft centre halves."
A couple of times the crowd warmed themselves with chants of Keano! Keano! Mccarthy thought about it. Rejected the idea. "When we got the second goal, after that we were in control. I decided not to take the risk."
When they bayed for Keano they meant Robbie but we longed for Roy and his blowtorch words scorching the backsides of the indolent. Would Breen have moved like molasses if Keane was there? Would Connolly have mislaid his first touch so calamitously? Would so many of the crosses been popped too near the Andorran keeper? McCarthy recognised that something was needed for the ignition.
"Whatever provides a spark. I said to them have you seen the size of their lads. Centre-half header like that. I'm glad it didn't cost us an opportunity to play for a place in the World Cup." Bright points?
"Gary Doherty, still not a classic centre forward, he's learning, he's got a great aerial threat, got down the line, thought he was excellent. I feel for him having to chop and change. He's doing a very good job. I hope he keeps learning. Mark Kennedy isn't back to himself but he did a lot of good things for us. His cross for the second goal was excellent. Turned the game back for us."
David Rodrigo, the Andorran manager, was a little more chipper. He spoke about controlling the first 30 minutes. Not totally unreasonably. How did it feel to see his team score, he was asked patronisingly.
"We are used to scoring goals" he replied firmly before going on to explain that his side were getting used to lining out without key players. Maybe we got off lightly.
It's been a tricky little passage these last three games. The air of rest and recreation dissipated only by Roy Keane's fury and the prospect of humiliation last night . In the press room we want McCarthy to be a bit more partaking of the doom and gloom. He's not having any of it. He's leaving us with the big picture.
"Winning these games was the important thing. Goal difference won't be important if we beat Holland and Portugal here. That's the only way I can look at it.
"You fellas want me to be negative. I won't do it. We're top of the group. Nobody can believe it. It does my head. That's all I can say. Thanks very much."
