“If you’re not playing regularly, going into a regular competition can be a problem.”
Martin O’Neill has a few months yet before any big decisions are made but he intends on using all the time he can.
The Republic of Ireland international manager was up for questions on TV3’s Champions League coverage of Arsenal and Barcelona and, straight off the bat, Tommy Martin asked him about the apparent goalkeeper troubles.
Neither of the three stoppers that O’Neill has used in the European qualifiers – Darren Randolph, David Forde, or Shay Given – have been featuring regularly for their clubs of late for one reason or another.
Keiren Westwood and Rob Elliot meanwhile are playing every game for Sheffield Wednesday and Newcastle respectively and another goalie who has declared his wish to represent Ireland, Mark Bunn, is now Aston Villa’s number one – God love him.
It is telling in our weekly power rankings of the Irish squad with the three used ‘keepers on the international stage nowhere to be seen.
O’Neill admitted that it is a problem as he discussed his options ahead of the March friendlies with Switzerland and Slovakia but it didn’t stop him talking about new hero Darren Randolph in glowing terms.
On the subject of the manager’s new contract, we still don’t have a definitive answer but O’Neill simply stated:
“I don’t see that being a major problem.”
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