If Euro 2012 was decided by who had the best support, then Ireland would have a serious chance of lifting the Henri Delaunay Trophy in Kiev on Sunday. Sadly for them, and the thousands of fans who have joined them in Poland, it isn’t.
Ireland’s travelling support has won many admirers for their enthusiasm and persistence, often despite abysmal performances from their team. Low expectations have helped to maintain spirits and ensured that the party lasted until the final game against Italy last Monday.
Given that Ireland hadn’t participated in a major tournament since the penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Spain in 2002, the fans claimed that they were happy just to be there and that it was an achievement to qualify. There’s no shame in being outclassed by nations with more resources and larger populations, but should the Irish just be content with attending the party?
Low Standards
Even the most optimistic of Irish supporters would concede that qualification from Group C was unlikely. It comprised the defending and world champions Spain, World Cup 2006 winners Italy and a talented Croatia side – teams which would have been capable of tearing apart far better opposition than the current Ireland squad.
Ireland’s inadequacies were cruelly exposed and they finished bottom of their group with no points, nine goals conceded and a solitary Sean St. Ledger goal to their name. The players tried their best to bridge the gulf in class between them and their opponents to no avail, but could they and Trapattoni have done more?
Anyone with a basic knowledge of international football could have predicted his starting eleven long before Ireland kicked off their campaign against Croatia, and even when they were eliminated, he stayed loyal to the same team rather than blood young players.
However it was this stability that got them this far. Giovanni Trapattoni had created a team that was greater than the sum of its parts and could have qualified for South Africa 2010 had it not been for Thierry Henry’s infamous interference in Paris three years ago.
Continue the party
The fact of the matter is that for a country with the 33rd best league in Europe (which didn’t supply a single player for the national side at Euro 2012) and a population of just over four and a half million and its diaspora, there is not much more that can be expected.
Ireland’s star players, Shay Given, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane are all veterans of the 2002 campaign and were all disappointing this time round. Ireland may not be able to call upon them in the next qualification campaign and it’s difficult to see where their replacements are coming from.
Even when Ireland to manage to find a player of some quality, they may not always be able to use him, as the strange case of Steven Ireland demonstrates. James McClean looks a genuine prospect, but the rest of the squad are average at best.
To reach Brazil in two years’ time, Ireland must escape a group that includes Germany and Sweden, ensuring that even securing a play-off spot will require all of their veteran Italian manager’s experience and tactical nous.
Trapattoni and Ireland must take a huge amount of credit for qualifying for Euro 2012 and although results in Poland were hugely disappointing, the Irish faithful cannot be blamed for making the most of every moment – who knows when it may come around again?
PIXEL SPORT 