McCarthy guides Irish to new era
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Your support makes all the difference.When the Republic of Ireland's manager Mick McCarthy walked into the dressing room – to a round of applause – after World Cup qualification had been secured on Thursday, despite a 1-0 defeat by Iran, he was at last stepping out of the shadow of his predecessor, Jack Charlton. Whether he eventually comes to share the great man's status, never again having to buy a drink in his adopted country, will be largely determined by events in Japan and South Korea next June.
At least McCarthy now has a chance on the big stage, after his teams twice failed to pass final auditions, for France 98 and Euro 2000. At the 1990 World Cup, he was Charlton's captain, part of the side that established a world record by remaining unbeaten in 17 games until a 1-0 quarter-final defeat by the hosts in Rome. Had Iran's sweeper, Yahya Golmohamadi, not been allowed to head a goal in stoppage time on Thursday, the current team would have equalled that run, with every chance of surpassing it in a friendly at home to Russia in February.
The professional in McCarthy was annoyed at losing for the first time in 18 months – "It sticks in my craw'' – but any negative feelings had already disappeared by the time he left a chaotic media conference and returned to where he is happiest, with his players.
Virtually all of the 18 who stripped for action in Tehran can expect to be back in the shirt next summer. Add the injured Roy Keane, Stephen Carr and Damien Duff plus a third goalkeeper, and the squad almost picks itself. Consistency of selection has been a feature of McCarthy's reign; he can boast at least two players for every position except left back, where Ian Harte is unchallenged.
Steve Staunton and Niall Quinn, team-mates of McCarthy's in 1990, are still going strong, and, injuries permitting, the Aston Villa defender will become the first Irishman to win 100 caps by the end of the campaign. Roy Keane's fitness is also paramount and if he were to have an operation on his knee, then the sooner the better for Ireland's purposes.
If there is a quibble about the 12 qualifying matches, it would be that Roy Keane and Harte were the leading scorers, with four each, while Quinn, Robbie Keane and David Connolly managed only four between them. But with pundits even predicting an upswing in the Irish economy as a result of qualification, Dublin yesterday was no place for anything but euphoria and Guinness.
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