Soccer: Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given was among 23 players who took part in training in Gdynia this morning, allaying fears over his fitness ahead of their opening Euro 2012 game against Croatia on Sunday.
The veteran has taken it easy for most of the week, having been troubled by a variety of niggles, from a calf strain, to a knee injury and even blisters.
However, he arrived with his boots this morning and took part in drills before playing a lively 11-aside in what Giovanni Trapattoni reiterated was his starting line-up in Poznan, barring injuries. Third-choice goalkeeper David Forde was the one to make way.
Glenn Whelan took a knock towards the end of the session but Trapattoni insisted he was “without worry”.
Given never looked troubled during the game and made a number of solid stops, most notably from Darron Gibson playing alongside Paul Green in midfield for the ‘second’ side.
In the case of Given, the manager was adamant the 36-year-old was always likely to feature against the Croats. “The injuries? No, I have no doubt about he can play,” he said.
Notably more jovial than earlier in the week, he did admit there was some anxiety around the squad after the 0-0 draw with Hungary.
“It is a little bit strange, not atmosphere, with my opinion. Also, this morning, yesterday afternoon, I see again the game in Hungary. It was not as bad as my first impression. Now, I said also this to the team. They were happy because they start again with this attitude, quickly, play very quickly. Good.”
Tension, however, is not necessarily a bad thing. For the manager, at least. “I'm not particularly excited. I'm a little tense. The balance of tension. I want to keep a level of tension. If the manager doesn't keep the tension ... the manager needs to keep a positive tension.”
Today was the team’s final session in the Arka Stadium before the game and they depart for Poznan tomorrow morning where they will train in the Municipal Stadium in the afternoon. The Italian says the heightening excitement with the arrival of fans in Poznan will undoubtedly rub off on the players.
“You must be proud about our country, our people, because they make a very big sacrifice, the money, the travel, the trip. The players know this. I am sure, all players before the training, I repeated this to them. Our country waits. Our supporters wait.
“Football is also 90 minutes but it's important that we guarantee them … that we guarantee our people, total and complete commitment.”
They will need to be operating on full tilt against a side ranked eighth in the world, but the manager, in his own roundabout way, was keen to stress the game boils down to 11 men against 11. “They are before us in ranking but we played them in a friendly game (0-0 draw in August 2011).
“Many players play in England, Germany. Our team know their opponent but no result is confirmed until the match is played.
You wish to be better than the other. The competition is very important. I play against (teams in) my times. They were the big, big stars. I won the game. I won the game with the team. I won the game against them. One on one. That is a good stimulus.”
The 73-year-old will officially become the oldest coach to lead a team at the European Championships on Sunday, but he’s as eager as ever. “It's as if I was 20. I am fresh in head, and, above all, I am hungry for the new situation. I watch every game, and think maybe I can discover another little situation.
“I want to know new things. I always want to know new things, get to know new things that I didn't know before. That is important. There are many important situations, the psychology. The general said, it's an old man who isn't curious about the next news. I think I'm like a 20-year-old, with more experience.”
