Andorra v Rep of Ireland: HAVING TRAVELLED to England over the weekend to watch the player in action, Giovanni Trapattoni declared himself happy yesterday that Kevin Doyle is back to his best ahead of Ireland's crucial European Championship qualifiers against Andorra and Armenia.
The Italian reacted a little tetchily, though, to Mick McCarthy’s claim over the weekend that suggestions by the Italian last month to the effect that the striker was out of sorts in the first place were merely intended to justify his decision to drop him.
“He is always saying Doyle should play for a bigger club and he is not fit,” said Trapattoni’s predecessor after his Wolves side had been beaten at home by Newcastle on Saturday, “(but) if he does not play him, it just means he prefers Shane Long.”
Trapattoni was enthusiastic about Doyle’s performance in the defeat during which he had a goal controversially disallowed, but stood over his remarks prior to the home game against Slovakia regarding the 28-year-old’s form and fitness and he was scathing regarding McCarthy’s use of the player at times.
“I follow Doyle and I saw the game on Saturday. I wanted to see how he was and he told me that he is stronger and better. A month ago, though, he wasn’t strong. I watched him closely. I never look for excuses but what can you say when you have players who don’t play,” said Trapattoni.
“Doyle was not fit to play. For two months he had a problem with his knee. I saw him and you also saw him in the last game (against Slovakia). He was not fit, not in (good) condition.
“But he (McCarthy) needed Doyle,” he continued. “He used Doyle because he has only Doyle but I can say he was not 100 per cent. Now, he’s stronger and fitter but you can achieve the proper condition only a little time and when you play 90 minutes without pre-season you are left with your energy drained. You are like an empty bottle. I know this from experience.
“Doyle played just games in pre- season then had an injury for two months. And then there is another situation. A striker needs support. Doyle is alone, 50 metres up front where other players give him the ball against three, four or five defenders. I saw Wolves’ last game. I have respect for McCarthy and every manager uses his player as he sees fit but he (Doyle) was alone in the desert.”
Against Andorra, the Italian confirmed, there will be two Irish strikers although he suggested that he might change both of them after an hour if the game, as has happened in previous matches he has been involved in against lesser opponents, ends up “resembling a war”.
Robbie Keane, who it had originally been suggested would be allowed to stay on for tonight’s LA Galaxy game in New York, will be one of the starters, but there was no firm indication as to whether the Dubliner would be partnered up front by Doyle or Long.
There is uncertainty about Trapattoni’s plans for the defence too. Richard Dunne is suspended for the game in Andorra – although he is to travel with the squad – but the manager acknowledged that he has not yet decided whether to play Darren O’Dea or John O’Shea alongside Seán St Ledger at the heart of his back four.
“It could be O’Shea or St Ledger and O’Dea, I don’t know but O’Shea,” he added, “has a little bit of a knock and I need to be sure that he is 100 per cent.”
The suggestion seemed to be merely that the scale of the problem might influence where the Sunderland player starts rather than whether he does or not.
Of the other regular starters, Shay Given did some work in the gym rather than train with the rest of the squad but the Aston Villa goalkeeper is said to be fine, unlike Jonathan Walters who had not travelled as of yesterday and is now considered a major doubt with what Trapattoni said is an ankle problem.
Aiden McGeady was due in from Moscow last night while Paul McShane will continue his return from a long lay-off due to a calf strain in a reserve team game for Hull City today before, if all goes well, travelling to Dublin this evening.
Trapattoni hinted that he will avoid selecting anyone about whose fitness he has any concerns because of the high altitude in Andorra where he feels his players may be in for a bit of a battle.
Ireland’s record down the years certainly suggests that they are capable of making it hard going against virtually anybody – Liechtenstein in 1995 and San Marino in 2007 – on their home turf but then Andorra’s record at home points clearly to an away win.
The tiny principality is ranked joint 203rd – or last – in the world along with Montserrat, Samoa and San Marino and while they have not been beaten by more than three goals at home in this campaign, they have lost their last 36 competitive outings, a run that stretches back to February 2005.
