If Robbie Keane wanted to demonstrate his battle-readiness before the critical Euro 2016 qualifiers against Germany and Poland, then publicly lampooning Roy Keane at a pre-match press conference was a fine way to go about it.
Ireland’s record goalscorer delayed his arrival in Dublin to attend the birth of his son on Monday night, prompting his country’s assistant manager to quip that the striker would be available to play against Germany on Thursday “unless he’s breastfeeding”, to which the younger Keane responded that his elder namesake would know more about such matters because “he’s got bigger tits than me”.
Ireland intend to show similar boldness against the world champions as they pursue qualification from a cut-throat group. Martin O’Neill’s side lie third in Group D and go into their final two matches with three scenarios still possible – automatic qualification, a play-off place or elimination. They could draw at home to Germany and in Poland on Sunday and still finish fourth or they could lose both matches and, if Poland beat Scotland at Hampden Park on Thursday, reach the play-offs.
Germany, leaders of Group D after recovering from a sluggish start to the campaign, can secure their place in France next summer with a point against the Irish. The fact that one German journalist in Dublin asked Joachim Löw whether he has already settled on his squad for the finals suggests that some of the visitors do not envisage O’Neill’s side shocking the world champions, even if the Irish upset the Germans by plundering a point when the countries met in Gelsenkirchen last October. Germany have won all their subsequent qualifiers but the Ireland manager is determined to do his utmost to ensure they do not book their ticket in Dublin.
“They maybe felt a hangover after the World Cup at the start but they were always going to top this group because they are the best team in it,” said O’Neill. “They are world champions and have a squad full of players who are regulars in the Champions League and have experience of going away from home and dealing with any situation. And they’re improving. But does it mean we give up? Absolutely not. We have a challenge on our hands but we have the desire to rise to it. We have great fighting spirit and real self-belief and several players with real quality.”
The 1-1 last year was earned thanks to a stoppage-time goal by John O’Shea following near-total German domination and monumental defensive resistance by the Irish.
O’Neill says the plan this time is to be as adventurous as possible. “We will get a chance to play in the game, no doubt about it, and it is up to us to manoeuvre the ball well enough into positions for strikes at goal. Naturally we will have to play without the ball at times, but if you stay behind the ball the whole game and do not have the possession to go forward, then the Germans are good enough to beat you. We have to be positive.”
That task will be complicated by a long list of absentees. Séamus Coleman, whose contributions tend to be key defensively and going forward, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, though O’Neill said the Everton right-back will be “absolutely and utterly fine” for Sunday’s match in Warsaw. He is likely to be replaced by Derby County’s Cyrus Christie, as David Meyler, who filled in at right-back when the teams last met, looks set to be deployed in midfield due to suspensions to Glenn Whelan and James McClean.
Another Derby player, Richard Keogh, will probably deputise in central defence in place of the injured Ciaran Clark and Marc Wilson. Ireland’s most creative player, Wes Hoolahan, trained on Wednesday and O’Neill claimed the Norwich City player is fully fit, though it remains to be seen whether he will be risked with the Poland match looming.
Given the losses, Irish fans could be forgiven for fearing a repeat of the 6-1 humiliation that Germany inflicted on their last trip to Dublin, in 2012. But Löw said that was unlikely and that his team will find this contest tougher than last month’s trip to Scotland, where they were made to fight hard for a 3-2 win.
“Ireland are famous for defending very well, strongly and physically, and if you look at past encounters with them you don’t always get a 6-1, on many occasions it’s been a match of attrition,” said Löw, whose comparison between Ireland and Scotland sounded more like a warning against complacency than a strictly accurate account of the countries’ relative merits or a matter-of-fact appraisal of Ireland’s patchy displays in this group so far.
He added: “Physically [Ireland] are stronger than Scotland, and as far as attacking goes, they play more imaginatively so we have to look out for that. They know how to make life hard. They are robust, physical and score on the counter. I also know Ireland have all to play for and can still qualify directly while they also have a excellent chance to come third.
“Like Scotland they will fight to the last minute but having said that we will take the game to our opponents and impose our own philosophy.”
Probable teams
Republic of Ireland Given; Christie, O’Shea, Keogh, Brady; Meyler, McCarthy, Hendrick; Walters, Long, Hoolahan
Germany Neuer; Can, Boateng, Hummels, Hector; Schweinsteiger, Kroos; Müller, Gündogan, Özil; Götze
