SOCCER: Republic of Ireland v Brazil:This game proved that our best XI can be a match for anyone. Andy Reid and Stephen Reid aside, all the talents currently available were on show.

But we can be better again.

My first task as Ireland manager was to get Roy Keane back on board. It was essential that I approached him, and likewise Gary Kelly, although I had less success there.

The same problem will be presented to the next man in the Ireland hot seat. Be it Terry Venables or Giovanni Trapattoni (or whoever else - a rabbit may yet be pulled from the FAI magician's hat), the new manager must seek the return of Andy O'Brien, Stephen Ireland and Steve Finnan - who are all too young to retire from international football. Possibly even Stephen Carr.

Distasteful as it may sound, he may have to beg these players to come back for at least another campaign in the green jersey.

Our paucity of talent makes this essential if we are to be serious contenders for qualification.

It was fairly dull stuff last night with no genuine shot on goal as the Mexican wave stuttered to life after just 20 minutes. Brazil adopted their usual style with five players cluttered around the midfield as the full-backs provided the width that allows them to break forward en masse.

Their experimental line-up was hardly brimming with enthusiasm but no team can play like them. It's their elegance and grace on the ball that eventually imposes itself on opponents.

The Irish midfield - where Liam Miller gave his best showing for a number of years before an unfortunate injury - were working very hard and did adapt by putting the squeeze on the visitors. Carsley and Miller sensed a less-than-polished Brazilian team and led the way in their eagerness to get on the ball but lacked the guile required for central midfield.

The game flew past Miller's replacement, Darren Potter.

Aiden McGeady was also delivering on the promise he has shown at Celtic and combined well with Kevin Kilbane, who was excellent throughout. The old head guided McGeady through the necessary defensive duties and supplied him with the quick ball he requires to do damage. Stephen Kelly and Damien Duff were less impressive on the other side but that is understandable given Damien's long absence through injury.

Either way, it's hard to see the new manager, be it Venables or Trapattoni, employing Duff and McGeady as wingers in a 4-4-2 system. Venables is known for adopting intricate systems, like his Christmas-tree formation, while Trapattoni's defensive principles would also rule out this loose approach, especially in the tough away encounters when points are difficult to garner, as we discovered last time around.

While the more orthodox Irish system was coping well against superior Brazilian technique and a more flexible style, it became backs-to-the-wall stuff approaching half-time as their variety of passing made our back four look uncomfortable.

Still, Richard Dunne, with plenty of assistance from John O'Shea and Kilbane, kept them at bay.

For 15 minutes after the break we couldn't get a kick of the ball as Fabiano twice threatened to sink us. Shay Given produced one of his usual "get out of jail free" cards.

We responded, mainly thanks to Duffer coming to life and causing plenty of problems, before they hit us with that extra dash of quality on the counter.

Robinho threaded it through Carsley's legs, between Shay and his left post, after some silky passing, particularly from Diego - the goal's origin coming when Damien was dispossessed in the Brazilian box.

The response was to replace the largely ineffective Kevin Doyle with Stephen Hunt, who went onto the wing, Duff playing off Robbie Keane.

By this stage the match had turned into the open spectacle one expects from a Brazilian visit.

What Ireland lacked last night was a cohesive structure and patterns they can impose on opponents. In that regard, this friendly became largely irrelevant.

When Mr X watches the video he will undoubtedly be impressed. There was an honest work-rate, a pace and physique to the back four, inventiveness from McGeady and Duff. And there is potential goal threat, provided an in-form Doyle gives Keane the space he thrives on.

The two Reids will come back into the picture and maybe a few more.

Mr X has also been shown that decent raw materials exist. The steel and concentration of winning Irish teams of old needs also to be rekindled so we can eke out results on the road.

Overall, I enjoyed watching Brazil. Don Givens loses his unbeaten record but a good night's work from the players, who like the rest of us remain in limbo.