European Cup Qualifier
01.09.1999 at 19:30 - Lansdowne Road
Robbie Keane's devastating start to his Premiership career with Coventry City has heightened Irish expectations ahead of today’s important European Championship tie against Yugoslavia at Lansdowne Road (7.30 pm k.o.).
Keane, with three goals in as many games for Coventry, has struck a rich vein of form at an opportune time for Ireland and he will spearhead a team selection that is bold and positive for a match which is certain to impact enormously on the trend of the qualifying series in group eight of the competition.
Manager Mick McCarthy promised Ireland would approach the match with Yugoslavia with the emphasis on attack and by providing Keane and his experienced partner Niall Quinn with two speedy and orthodox wingers he remained true to his word.
Mark Kennedy, in sparkling form this season with Manchester City, and the hugely promising Kevin Kilbane (West Brom) were both included in a team selection that is clearly designed to take full advantage of a Yugoslavia team hit by injuries and suspensions.
Kennedy and Kilbane will have responsibility to defend as well, of course, but their primary responsibility will be to stretch the Yugoslavia defence to the limit as Ireland set out in pursuit of three points that would take them to the top of the table, a point ahead of Croatia and two in front of Yugoslavia.
“A winger’s responsibility first and foremost is to get crosses in and be the supply line for the centre-forward to score goals,” said McCarthy, “then to get on the end of one themselves and then help the full-back out; but a winger’s job is to supply crosses, I think.”
The progress the team has made in three years of McCarthy’s leadership is such that this selection was very predictable, given that goalkeeper Shay Given (Newcastle), Damien Duff (Blackburn) and Jason McAteer (Blackburn) were kept out of consideration because of injury.
Spurs full-back Stephen Carr is the only player in the squad of 21 players for this match who might have been expected to force his way into the team and had McCarthy preferred him then he would have nominated Denis Irwin at left-back and relegated Steve Staunton (Liverpool) to the subs’ bench.
McCarthy made it clear, however, that Staunton’s vast experience meant he was always going to figure in the team for a match which was described as “huge” by the manager.
”We are heading into a make or break eight days,” said McCarthy with reference to the fact that Ireland follow this match with matches against Croatia and Malta in rapid succession, “but I keep stressing the fact that this is not a make or break result.
“Our task is to win more points that anybody else in the group; how we achieve that does not matter, but we would go a long way towards ensuring that if we win here.”
McCarthy was suggesting that defeat here need not necessarily ruin Ireland’s prospects but he has given Ireland every chance of securing the goals they will need to win by putting his faith in the youngsters up front.
His preference of Staunton over Carr at full-back could be termed somewhat controversial given that Carr has been an ever-present for ’Spurs while Staunton has been on the Liverpool subs’ bench regularly, but McCarthy’s justification was sound.
Staunton was not at his best when Ireland were beaten 1-0 by Yugoslavia in Belgrade last November and McCarthy said: “Stan has a great opportunity to turn that round now. I’ve said that to him ... it wasn’t a great game he had in Belgrade now he can put that right.”
Carr is 23 years of age and has played in three senior internationals; Staunton is 30 and has a huge reservoir of international experience to call upon after 78 games with Ireland.
McCarthy’s respect for Yugoslavia’s top-class side undoubtedly influenced his decision-: “To lose faith in a guy because he had one bad performance in winning 78 caps would have been remiss of me.
“I played for ten years alongside Stan and he is a top-class player and on the back of one poor performance he does not warrant being left out. It is my most experienced back four and deliberately so.”
McCarthy was quick to express confidence in young Carr as well, a player whose potential has been recognised by successive management teams at ’Spurs and at under-age level with Ireland.
“The Yugoslav game is a massive game for us,” he said. “I’ve been in that position when you’ve had just two or three caps; when you’ve had 60 caps and 70 caps like Stan and Denis (Irwin) and Roy (Keane) have, it just makes it so much easier.
“I don’t doubt Stephen Carr’s ability for one minute, I just feel that experience counts in this instance.”
McCarthy’s reaction was an indirect acknowledgement of the threat posed by Yugoslavia, a team of proven pedigree at the very highest level.
There is a real drive and ambition in this Irish side and a genuine determination to reverse the set-back they suffered in Belgrade.
Robbie Keane can build on his growing reputation by producing the match-winner here but much depends on the quality of the service forthcoming from the wingers, Kennedy and Kilbane. Their impact will have a huge bearing.
IRELAND’S birthday boy Tony Cascarino may well share the same birthday as ex-Newcastle United boss Ruud Gullit but big Cas wants it to be “party time” at Lansdowne Road tonight and not an Irish wake.
The AS Nancy striker who plans to call a halt to his playing career at the end of this Euro 2000 series, scored again in the French first division over the weekend.
It was his third goal so far this season and now he could be Mick McCarthy’s secret weapon if things are not going according to plan in tonight’s sell out Euro 2000 fixture with Yugoslavia.
Cascarino could rewrite the record books too if he steps off the bench as the Republic of Ireland go after a home victory to overturn the 1 0 defeat they suffered against the Yugoslavs in the corresponding match in Belgrade last November.
Big Cas who already holds the record for making the most substitute appearances for Ireland, is just one goal short of Frank Stapleton’s all time 20 goal record but if he does get the nod from McCarthy tonight and comes into the action, he will become the most capped Irish player of all time.
A substitute cameo on his old stomping ground would give him 84 caps and ease him one ahead of the current record holder ex Manchester United, Aston Villa and Derby County ‘great’ Paul McGrath.
“I’d love to make it a special occasion for myself and for Ireland but a decent result and a home win is all important,” said Cascarino who has one year of his existing contract to run with his French club.
“It’s been a long road for me with this team since I made my debut but I am happy to be a part of it. Hopefully, the result will go right for us tonight and make it a big birthday for me and if I get a hold of one of the records that will be a massive bonus,” he added.
“I have been waiting a long time in the wings to achieve these records but, yes, it would be nice for me to set the new figures over the next three games either here against the Yugoslavs, in Croatia at the weekend or indeed in Valletta next week where John Aldridge’s two goals got us to our first ever World Cup finals,” he said.
“I think one or both of the records would make it a bit special for me but if its not to be this evening in Dublin, then, I may have to wait for another day,” added the 37 year old striker.
“There’s no doubt about it but the older you get in this game, the harder you tend to work at your fitness and so on because you begin to realise that there’s a time limit on your playing career.”
“The goals and cap records are on the back of my mind and I just hope I get the chance tonight. It’s up to the boss though and only he can influence things,” added the much travelled Cascarino, who was born in St Paul’s, Cray just outside London on September 1, 1962 and made his debut away to Switzerland in Berne on September 11, 1985.
“I have worked very hard this pre season with AS Nancy and I think it’s shown in the three league goals I have scored,” said Cas whose other claim to fame is that at 37, he is now oldest player in the French first division.
“I will call a halt to the playing side of things at the end of this European campaign,” he says.
“Whether that’s at the end of the year in Macedonia or at the finals in Holland and Belgium next summer, I don’t know yet. It would be nice to quit and call it a day at another major finals and that’s what I am hoping for.
“I remember having a conversation with Mick (McCarthy) before the World Cup finals in the USA saying that I still felt I had something to offer but this is it now. I mean if I do achieve these records in the next week or so, there’s no real reason for me to continue or stay on,” he added.
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