Euro 2008:Though scarcely the type to court controversy, Lee Carsley has still found himself at the heart of his fair share of it over the latter part of his international career, most recently over the weekend when his post-match quotes caused a stir. He seems like the last person who would want to spark a row and it is the quiet sense of solidity he exudes that has been key to his having established himself as central to the Irish team's fortunes since his recent return from the wilderness.
In September 2003 the 32-year-old Everton midfielder went into self-imposed exile in part, it was said, because he was upset by a newspaper report on the 1-1 draw with Russia that month that referred to him as a "donkey". Three years later the wider media credits itself with a significant role in his return. Carsley himself had made it clear more than once that he was available again but despite his strong club form Steve Staunton apparently didn't even believe he was worth a place in his squad.
When the team endured a calamitous night in Nicosia, a great deal of the criticism that followed centred on the manager's refusal to anchor his midfield around somebody like Carsley and by the time the Czech Republic arrived in Dublin a couple of days later, he had received the call.
Now, it seems, he is both an automatic starter and one of the squad's most thoughtful commentators on the position in which they and their manager find themselves.
When the Birmingham-born midfielder talks of the three wins and a draw Ireland have earned from the four games since the 5-2 defeat by Cyprus, he obviously doesn't dwell on the fact that six of the 10 points have come from games against San Marino.
Still, when asked about the rate of progress being made by the Republic at present he draws a comparison with the recent experience of the English team in the wake of Saturday's draw in Tel Aviv. It's not easy to completely dismiss his logic.
"Progress is being made because the young lads coming in are getting caps and experience," he says amiably. "I was listening to Steve McClaren talking (on Saturday night) and he says, 'it's points that we need and the performances will come'. Well, we're getting points and we're not getting performances but I'd take the points any day. I'd rather be where we are at the minute than at the bottom of group saying, didn't we play well today - but we lost."
He compares Ireland's recent form to that of his current club on the way to their best league finish of late. "Yeah," he says, "I was thinking about it later: we won 1-0 yesterday, and when Everton finished fourth we won so many games 1-0 and it was often scrappy but we got the job done. And that was very much the case on Saturday."
Asked about criticism of his performance and that of his midfield partner Jonathan Douglas he seems genuinely interested as to what has been said and, when told, mulls it over for a moment before reacting.
"I suppose we are both defensive-minded players," he says. "Neither of us are ever going to open up a team with a pass or beat three players and stick it in the top corner. That's not the type of players we are.
"I've got a similar role in the Everton team. I'm there to break things up and I've got to give it to skilful players like (Tim) Cahill and (Manuel) Fernanadez. For Ireland, if me and Duggie are playing, it gives license to Duffer and Robbie to do their own thing and also for the full-backs to join in as well. So you can look at it as quite an attacking system as well."
Few who witnessed the game at Croke Park would believe that things worked out quite so positively and Carsley accepts that the team needs to improve significantly if tomorrow's game is to yield another three points which, he says, it must.
"You have to keep improving. Wales were poor in the first half but I thought they played a lot better in the second half, which we knew they would do. I know Slovakia beat Wales comfortably in Wales so I know it's going to be a tougher test."
