Bamboozle Time

Well folks,
JJ here,

Well it’s that news vacuum called international week and but for Ronaldo and his mates there’s not much light relief out there. Okay there’s Jamie Redknapp with his classic “I think Peter Schmeichel will be a father figure for Kasper” but all in all we face into these weeks knowing that headlines generally arise from (a) players missing training and (b) players rabbiting on in press conferences about ‘no easy games’, ‘vital wins’, ‘massive matches’ and how they have ‘the best support in the world’.

But screw it, when in Rome, do as the hacks do, so here goes…

Taking a look at what Ireland have in front of them, there’s a daunting trip to Slovakia and then the Czech Republic; games that will shape Steve Staunton’s career with this team. Shorn of Bobby Robson, after yet another health scare, the Ireland manager needs six points, will keep his job with four or two but will be hounded out of the country if he gets none.

Ireland’s surprise 4-0 victory over Denmark hasn’t led to many people predicting easy wins over the next two games; the manager’s previous year in charge has, after all, been a bit too sobering to get carried away with things. Defeat to Cyprus still ranks as one of the worst moments in the last 20 years of Irish football so no one is going overboard.

Six points would leave Ireland in a very healthy position going into a home game against a German side that may have already qualified for the European Championships before they set foot on the Croke Park pitch in mid-October. Shay Given and Steve Finnan both look like they will be fit which is a huge bonus as the centre of our midfield is still very much open to question.

Lee Carsley may be assured of a place but beside him can Andy Reid, a man who’s barely played in six months, be counted on for a solid showing? Can Steven Ireland perform a job there when he continually runs to the wings? Can we stop Stan from picking Jonathan Feckin Douglas? It’s a big worry for Ireland fans – as is the form of Kevin Doyle whose missed penalty on Saturday was just what we didn’t want to see. It’d be far too early to think that Doyle is going through a crisis but still a goal at the weekend would have helped.

His probable strike partner – unless Stan decides to commit managerial suicide and play one up front, a system that never works with Ireland – is Robbie Keane who will be hungry (careful now) after being taken off by Martin Jol on Saturday in an effort to keep Jermaine Defoe and his oven obsessed girlfriend happy.

The Czech team have the formality (unless you’re Ireland) of a game against San Marino on Saturday and let’s face it all we can hope for is a rough journey or some injuries to upset them before next Wednesday, such is the miniscule chance they might actually lose points there.

I’d really like to predict a good week ahead for Ireland but I have a feeling they will come unstuck against a bruising Slovakia on Saturday and only get a draw. You would have to be very hopeful to think we could win away against the Czechs, who, by then, will be three points ahead with vastly superior goal difference should things pan out as I’m predicting.

Then again, I said Spurs would get fourth this year so hopefully this prediction goes tits up as well and Ireland head home with six points, some decent absinthe and the possibility of making it to next year’s finals. And if not, just get the absinthe lads, it soothes the pain.