Wes Hoolahan looks set to lose his place in Ireland's starting line-up for tomorrow's clash with world champions Germany in Gelsenkirchen despite his Man of the Match award-winning performance on Saturday.
The 32- year-old played a critical role in each of the three early goals scored by Robbie Keane but manager Martin O'Neill still seems certain to replace him after suggesting that combativeness will be required at the expense of creativity in what will be Ireland's most daunting test of this European championship campaign so far.
“I might change things around again,” says O’Neill.
“Wes Hoolahan always does very well at the Aviva, he’s been really good in the games I’ve been involved in since November time, he’s always wanting to have that little bit of craft and ability running between the lines, things like that.
“His link up play is very good, but we’ll have a look at it. We might have to go into the Germany game with a bit of strength.”
He mentioned Jon Walters, Stephen Quinn and Glenn Whelan as players who had done well enough in Georgia to come right back into contention for Germany and the latter two seem likely to displace Hoolahan and Jeff Hendrick.
The manager must decide whether to take McClean out of the side in order to accommodate Walters’ return despite with Wigan winger having scored twice at the weekend.
His assistant, Roy Keane, is clear that the first challenge with regard to Germany will be to strike upon the right formula with the 43-year-old observing after training yesterday that Ireland cannot afford to make life easy for hosts who are likely to be smarting after a rare defeat on Saturday night.
“Professional football is about getting the balance right,” he said. “It’s not about being gung-ho. It’s about making sure we’re defensively set up properly but when we get a chance we’ve got players who can beat people, like McGeady and McClean if they both start.
“You have to be positive. If you go to Germany planning to defend for 90 minutes you’re in big, big trouble. You have to get that balance right – defend as a team but when we get opportunities, go forward. Those opportunities might be limited, it depends on the possession, it might be 60-40, 70-30 – who knows? But I’ve said before, possession doesn’t win you football matches. Poland last night showed that when you get these one or two opportunities, you’ve got to take them.
“We didn’t create loads in Georgia but the one or two we made the most of. So, yeah, let’s get the balance right.
Good performance
“I think from the coaches’ point of view,” he continued, “the focus is to try to go out and put on a good performance and see where that takes us. Whether it’s Germany or Gibraltar, we’ll prepare as well as we can, what you’re in control of. We’ll try and put on a good performance and please God that might get us a decent result.”
Clearly confidence should be high after the scale of the Gibraltar win but Germany away could scarcely be a more different proposition. Still, Keane is adamant that the players won’t be overawed by the prospect of playing the world’s best side.
“I don’t think our lads would be in any way like that,” he says. “I don’t think they’d be fearful going into any game. If anything they’ll look forward to it, it’s what it’s all about . . . a brilliant atmosphere, playing against a top team.
“It’s a different challenge than yesterday obviously . . . We’re going into a wounded animal with Germany. That will be a test . . . but that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to be tested but we’ve lads with vast experience, lads who have played plenty games before. Let’s not kid ourselves, we’re not a crowd of schoolboys going into a game. John O’Shea . . . Robbie Keane played 100 odd times for their country. They should be looking forward to it.”
The milestone
O’Shea is actually on course to earn his 100th cap in Gelsenkirchen and Keane is happy to see his former United team -mate reach the milestone.
“It’s brilliant, no surprises there. John has been a really good player, a really good pro who has a really good career at club level... not that it’s coming to an end.
“If he starts on Tuesday, he will deserve all the plaudits he gets but I’m sure he’s thinking there is plenty more to come.”
The Sunderland centre back is all but certain to start but O’Neill’s scope for changing things was, in any case, reduced somewhat yesterday when Richard Keogh finally had to admit defeat in relation to his attempt to overcome a hamstring problem in time to be available.The 28-year-old has returned to his club Derby County .
Almost all of the rest of the players appear to be in good shape ahead of this morning’s flight with only Daryl Murphy rated as doubtful after picking up an Achilles injury during the latter part of Saturday’s win.
“We’ll look at how Daryl is,” said Keane. “We’ve good options on the bench anyway. I don’t think the manager will be calling anyone up. I don’t think there’s any need to panic.”
