We hear it all the time, and it has become a big talking point recently – Ireland don’t have technically gifted players.
There are exceptions to the rule in the form of players like Wes Hoolahan, Robbie Brady, Damien Duff, Liam Brady and John Giles, but the commonly held view is that, for the most part, Irish players throughout the years have been hard working rather than skilful.
Ireland’s mere 94 successful passes against Serbia last month would certainly suggest that the country doesn’t produce technical players who are comfortable in possession.
The Ireland job needs to mean more than this, writes @dionfanning https://t.co/8XnsYbcu95
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 5, 2016
Roy Keane spoke about Ireland’s inability to use the ball well ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Georgia, and the Ireland assistant manager said it’s an issue that long predates the current team.
“Irish teams could have been retaining the ball better for the last 30 years, not just three months,” Keane said.
“I’m going back over the last 20, 30, 40 years. You’ve got to be able to deal with the ball and that’s an area we have to improve on. It’s highly unlikely we’re going to do it in the next 48 hours. In terms of the bigger picture from the underage teams, you have to have lads who can put their foot on the ball and show a bit of composure, bit of courage, want the ball.”
Ireland did nothing to disprove Keane’s theory, and were outplayed in the first-half against a team ranked 137 in the world.
Playing badly & winning isn't a sign of a good team, it's a sign of a team that's getting lucky writes @dionfanning https://t.co/R5j8cIpviu
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 6, 2016
If Martin O’Neill’s team do qualify for the World Cup in 2018, it won’t be down to weaving pretty passing patterns on the pitch or outplaying opponents. It’ll be done by playing direct, being aggressive when out of possession and relying on set-pieces and strokes of good fortune.
Eamon Dunphy and John Giles might talk about Ireland having great technical players throughout the years, but the evidence in the form of the national team shows the opposite, right?
Well, Chris Forrester shows Ireland is capable of producing technically gifted, skillful players.
The Peterborough captain scored a brilliant goal on Saturday afternoon live on Sky Sports during the team’s 3-1 win over Bury, and it came about thanks to one of the best first touches of the ball you’re likely to see this season.
Forrester arrived late into the Bury penalty area, and deftly cushioned the ball perfectly into the path of Shaquile Coulthirst. The striker returned the pass to Forrester, who gave the Bury goalkeeper the eyes, sent him the wrong way and scored with a cool finish.
But it’s all about the first touch, a sublime piece of control worthy of gracing any game.
The 23-year-old scored a number of brilliant goals during his time with St Patrick’s Athletic, and has impressed enough at Peterborough to earn a new contract, the captain’s armband and a place in provisional Ireland squads.
He also proves Ireland do have technical players, albeit not enough of them.
However, that’s because players have not been adequately coached and developed because of Ireland’s muddled, fractured football system. The tallest, fastest, strongest players were the ones given priority, while players like Forrester and Wes Hoolahan were in their twenties before they got a move across the water.
The problem isn’t that Ireland doesn’t have technically gifted players, or that a kick and rush, direct style of play is inherent to Irish footballers. It’s that the system, for a long time, has failed skillful footballers.
Hopefully Forrester continues his progression and proves capable of weaving some passes together for the national team. We could certainly do with someone like him.
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