What’s the best way to force your way into an international squad with three months to go before a major tournament? Do you keep your head down and work humbly and tirelessly in the hope that the manager will notice what a good soldier you are? Or do you try something a bit more daring to grab people’s attention, even if there’s a risk they’ll think you’re an egotist?
You could say Jack Byrne took the second approach during the week by doing an interview in which he seemed to compare himself rather favourably with Roy Keane. Asked on Thursday if he had any advice for Byrne, Martin O’Neill replied: “Don’t be so cocky.”
Byrne might respectfully disagree. He had been one of the most talked-about players at the press conference, even though by the time it took place he had already left the senior squad to join up with the U21s, who would lose 4-1 to Italy later on Thursday evening. Byrne is unlikely to make the cut for the Euros, but as far as Operation Get Noticed was concerned, you’d have to say it was mission accomplished.
Last night’s friendly against Switzerland gave another couple of fringe players the chance to get themselves noticed. The hulking Blackburn centre-half Shane Duffy played alongside Ciaran Clark in defence, while the little Brentford playmaker Alan Judge made his Ireland debut, starting on the right wing. The match eventually got going after extended pre-match rituals which encompassed the President’s salute, the anthems, a minute’s applause for recently departed friends of Irish football, and a reading from the Proclamation by six young boys dressed as 1916 rebels, including mock rifles. Maybe the Swiss had started to doze off, judging by the way Ireland ripped through them from the first whistle.
A flowing move involving most of the Irish players culminated in a second-minute corner from the left. Aiden McGeady drifted towards Robbie Brady, who seemed to be thinking about playing the corner short, until his attention was diverted by the sound of distant roaring.
It was Duffy, who had made his way forward into the Swiss penalty area, and was screaming for Brady to put it in the box. Brady obediently swung the ball over.
Duffy lost his man, leaped and sent a solid header back across goal, where Clark pounced to divert it past the keeper from point blank range. Martin O’Neill will have noticed that the combination of these two central defenders and the accurate delivery of Brady constitute a big threat at offensive set-pieces.
Kevin Doyle and Shane Long were doing most of the running in Ireland’s 4-4-2 system, chasing the Swiss defenders to disrupt their build-up play. It’s the kind of task that suits Doyle, who spent the first 20 minutes getting in Swiss faces, reminding everyone of his willingness to put his body on the line. On 22 minutes, though, he paid the price.
The 33-year old contested a 50-50 with Timm Klose and took a savage kick on the inside of his left leg as he knocked the ball away from the Swiss defender. He ran four or five paces but then his face contorted in pain, and he signalled for a substitution before dropping to his back in the Swiss penalty area.
Long crouched next to his friend, but as the Irish medical staff cut off Doyle’s sock with scissors it was clear that the news wasn’t going to be good. Three minutes later Doyle was being lifted onto a stretcher and carried off to applause from the fans in the west stand.
When you watch a team-mate stretchered off with just a few weeks to go before the tournament squad is announced, you assume a grave expression, and try to ignore the small voice in your head telling you that your chances of making the cut have just improved by a couple of percentage points. So Doyle’s rivals on the fringes will have been 98 per cent relieved to hear that the striker’s injury, as he departed for hospital, seemed to be limited to a deep cut on the ankle.
Daryl Murphy came on for Doyle, but the long stoppage had broken the rhythm of the game. It was as though the sight of Doyle on the stretcher had reminded the players on either side that getting noticed is great, but it’s not worth getting injured. The game soon assumed the typical somnolent character of an Aviva friendly. Switzerland had almost 70 per cent of the possession, yet failed to force a significant save from Darren Randolph.
They caused few problems with their favoured tactic of aiming long diagonal balls into the space behind Robbie Brady, and the midfielder Granit Xhaka, a reported transfer target for Arsenal and Manchester City, managed nothing more memorable than a nasty foul on Stephen Quinn.
On the one occasion when Duffy was dragged out of position and turned, Clark was there to rescue him with a brave tackle on Embolo. The Villa defender would be named man of the match for a busy, authoritative performance.
Martin O’Neill made some substitutions with about 25 minutes remaining, with Eunan O’Kane and Jonathan Hayes given the chance to show what they could do. O’Kane will have departed with some regrets.
Just a couple of minutes remained when he intercepted a square ball and sprinted through, but he shot weakly wide from 20 yards when a second goal looked on. O’Neill looked genuinely annoyed. Getting noticed isn’t always good news.
