SOCCER/ International Friendly Republic of Ireland v Sweden: After nearly two months of working hard to persuade us Stan the Man is the sort of character we can all take to our hearts, Brian Kerr's successor yesterday provided the firmest indication we have yet of what it is we should expect from Steve Staunton, the Republic of Ireland manager.
In truth, there were few surprises in the team he named to face Sweden this evening with the 37-year-old including enough regulars to maintain an air of familiarity along with the couple of newcomers we knew to expect from a man who has little time and, at present, just two games in which to weigh up his options before the serious business gets started with September's trip to Stuttgart.
Still, there were winners and losers in the new manager's first team selection, primarily in the key area of central midfield where Graham Kavanagh and Kevin Kilbane were overlooked in favour of Steven Reid and John O'Shea. This latter pairing, one suspects, is the one around which Staunton intends build his side come the autumn.
Elsewhere Joey O'Brien's prospects of starting at right back were copper-fastened by a neck injury that forced Steve Finnan to return to Liverpool yesterday. Kevin Doyle, the team's other debutant, may have benefited, at least to some small extent, from a groin strain that prevented Clinton Morrison from training at a snowy and bitterly cold Lansdowne Road yesterday morning.
The team's new skipper, Robbie Keane, will lead the attack while Richard Dunne and Andy O'Brien, having previously battled each other to partner Kenny Cunningham in central defence, get to start together for the first time . . . the beginning, it seems, of a long-term working relationship.
For those who have been left out the setback is scarcely fatal but Kavanagh, who must have hoped that at 32 his day was, in the wake of Roy Keane's departure, finally about to come, will surely be disappointed. Kilbane, meanwhile, may wonder whether his days as the team's most regular starter - he has not been omitted from the line-up for a competitive game in more than five years - are numbered.
Asked about the selection, Staunton stressed that those who missed out initially would still get their chance to impress but unless he is successful in finding opponents for a game in May, there will only be the visit of the Netherlands in August before he must tackle his first competitive assignment. In the circumstances then, starting tonight would appear to carry just a little added importance.
Commenting on one of his specific selections he observed he had "always seen John O'Shea in that (midfield) role," words that will be welcomed by Ian Harte whose club career may have gone somewhat awry but whose future at this level now appears to look more secure.
One of three players in the starting 11 to have recently returned from injury, Stephen Elliott, gets a surprise start in what appears to be an even more unexpected role. The 22-year-old would appear set to start on the right side of midfield but he may not remain there for long as tactically the Irish are to be rather fluid this evening with Staunton observing: "We know we can play 4-4-2, what we have to do is to try a few different systems."
We may get glimpses of quite a few but the way in which the manager gave the team to the press yesterday suggested the shape will, at the outset, be the one most tried and trusted by his predecessors despite the presence of three strikers in the starting line-up.
The Irish are likely to be rigorously tested by a strong Swedish side that earned its place at this summer's World Cup finals with a series of impressive performances.
The temperature alone should ensure the game is played at a decent pace even if a rough-looking pitch takes its toll on the quality of the spectacle. A somewhat startled Swedish coach, Lars Lagerback, described the weather yesterday as being like "a Swedish winter" while Shay Given said it was "shocking".
In several areas of the Sweden team there are players vying for starting roles in Germany although in attack the partnership of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson pretty much picks itself.
"They're one of the best pairing in Swedish history," observed the manager, "and while comparisons are difficult I think when they're both in good shape they're amongst the world's best at present too."
Containing them should provide a challenge to the new-look Irish defence and provide Staunton with his first indication of just how great his task will be over the coming few years. His aim this evening is, he made clear, that his team wins the game but also that it produces a performances to be proud of while exhilarating those who are braving the elements.
"I want to see my players excite me and excite the fans," declared Staunton. "If they do out there what they've done in training over the last couple of days then we'll be all right and I'll be happy."
SWEDEN: Isaksson (Stade Rennes); Östlund (Southampton), Mellberg (Aston Villa), Hansson (Heerenveen), Edman (Stade Rennes); Linderoth (FC Copenhagen); Elmander (Brondby); Källström (Stade Rennes), Wilhelmsson (Anderlecht); Ibrahimovic (Juventus), Larsson (Barcelona).
