Rep of Ireland v Colombia Al-Ain, 5.0He's reluctant to think about life after the World Youth Cup just yet - after all, a return to his day job in Dublin could be postponed for a while if Ireland beat Colombia in today's second round game in Al-Ain (5 p.m. Irish time) - but manager Gerry Smith, when asked about his future after the championships, was clear enough about his plans.
"I'll go back to selling bearings, chains and sprockets and Johnny (McDonnell, his assistant) will go back to driving his taxi. The players, though, will move on, they've got great careers ahead of them, I'm certain of that.
"But the only future I'm thinking about at the moment is our game against Colombia, and there's a hell of a prize for the winner: a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup."
Smith, though, has plenty to occupy his mind before kick-off in Al-Ain, with concerns about injuries to captain and left-back Stephen Capper (right foot) and goalkeeper Brian Murphy (left ankle) adding to Friday's self-inflicted wounds against Mexico when Stephen Kelly, Glenn Whelan and Darren Potter all picked up suspensions for the second round.
The prognosis on both injury worries is, however, good, with team doctor Ronan O'Callaghan confident both will be fit.
Smith, then, would have 17 players to choose from, with John Fitzgerald and Sean Dillon the leading contenders to replace Kelly at right-back.
Should Capper fail to make the game, Smith's defence would pick itself: he would be left with only four "natural" defenders.
Graham Ward, David Bell, Keith Fahey and Liam Kearney are the options to take the places of Whelan and Potter in midfield, with the first pair the most likely replacements, although Fahey will hope his 35-minute contribution against Mexico, which earned his manager's praise, will boost his chances of making the team.
Jonathon Daly, Eamon Zayed and Kevin Doyle have started a game each alongside Stephen Elliott up front.
Which of the three will partner the Manchester City striker against Colombia, well, only Smith knows, and he's saying nothing.
Short of the teams drawing today, and the game going to penalties, something has to give: Ireland have never beaten a South American team in the World Youth Cup; Colombia have never beaten a European side.
The game, which will be refereed by a European (Belgian Frank De Bleeckere), will go to golden goal extra-time if level after 90 minutes, and then to penalties.
Four years ago Ireland were knocked out of the World Youth Cup by Nigeria on penalties, in the second round.
In its summary of the 1999 event, the official FIFA book for this tournament lists Ireland's "Damien Dove" and "Ruby Keyin" as two of the "Championship stars".
Victory over Colombia today and this current crop of Irish under-20 players will do their chances of following in Dove and Keyin's path (a.k.a., Duff and Robbie Keane) no harm at all.
