Friendly International: Republic of Ireland v Lithuania, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm – Live Sky Sports Arena
In a break from the norm, Keith Andrews conducted the managerial press conference ahead of a friendly against Lithuania that reflects the pulling power of a football association that is still searching for a shirt sponsor.
Tuesday night’s visitors to the Aviva finished bottom of their World Cup qualification group as Switzerland, Italy and Northern Ireland all took maximum points off them. They managed to beat Bulgaria 3-1 last October and while Northern Ireland made heavy weather of them in November, the lack of incoming glamour invites the narrative to wander off in multiple directions.
Andrews, a decent communicator who recently shelved his media work to fully focus on being the Republic of Ireland’s assistant manager, has little interest in this part of the job, even admitting that his thought process was already on the afternoon training session. The mention of Roy Keane labelling him a “bullshitter” back in 2020 brought him back to the present.
“You might have to ask him why,” responded the 35-times capped midfielder. “In terms of how it affected me, it didn’t affect me in the slightest. I have touched on how passionate I am about this role. My conscience would be very, very clean in terms of what I put into it because, apart from family life, it is actually the only thing I care about – in terms of making this team better, in terms of making Irish football better, in terms of giving us a team we are proud to watch.
“I have obviously been a fan, I’ve been a player. It is my only team. It is the only team I care about.
“So, no, it didn’t affect me. When you go into a new job players pretty quickly suss you out, if you are not up to the level. So in terms of the preparation going into it was obviously of a high level.”
Entering the dark waters of what has been left unsaid about Martin O’Neill’s time as Ireland manager, especially held up to Stephen Kenny deeming the current set-up to be “cutting edge sports science”, Andrews left plenty unsaid himself.
“In terms of previous regimes that was their bag. I was very much a fan at that stage. I travelled to the Euros as a fan [2016]or a player in a certain period [2012]and before that very much a fan. That was their bag. This is our regime and this is how we see fit to put things into place and hopefully we can just continue to work and continue building to keep that momentum going.”
Nothing short of goals and a clean sheet will be considered a successful return against the 137th ranked team in the world. Selection matters. Kenny has got the starting XI wrong before, the most obvious being a damaging 1-1 draw at home to Azerbaijan last September, when Troy Parrott and Aaron Connolly lining up behind Adam Idah was abandoned at half-time.
Connolly is no longer in the squad, Idah is injured and three of Parrott’s last four caps were won chasing injury-time shadows.
“Troy has been flying in training,” Andrews revealed. “There has been a real noticeable difference, I would say, in Troy between this and the last camp. You sometimes forget how young Troy is and I have had a lot of conversations with Troy, I’ve a really good relationship with him, around all aspects of being a footballer and the different avenues you are going to have to take and at times everything is not going to go to plan for you.
“I think, up until a certain point in Troy’s career, he was just on that upward trajectory. And then there were a couple of loan moves, but they are invaluable experiences, absolutely invaluable.
“He has been really, really sharp so there would be absolutely no qualms about Troy being involved tomorrow. We got a lot of belief in him in terms of what he is capable of, and he is in a good place.”
That indicates a start for the 20-year-old striker, currently loaned out by Spurs to MK Dons, but Will Keane’s 20 goals for Wigan Athletic this season also deserves recognition. In the same breath, the crowd are turning up to see Callum Robinson, Chiedozie Ogbene and Jason Knight continue their telepathic relationship.
“Stephen’s always very firm that caps aren’t given out, and I very much feel that way as well. You have to earn them but equally you have to reward players who have been professional around maybe not being selected, not coming into the game and understand that disappointment.”
John Egan is expected to take the captain’s armband if Séamus Coleman makes way for Nathan Collins or Dara O’Shea.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (possible): Kelleher; Collins, Duffy, Egan; Doherty, Knight, Cullen, Manning; Ogbene, Robinson; Parrott.
Referee: Bram van Driesseche (Belgium).
