Ireland Cyprus preview

Revenge Mission


So International football is back in town. Gio Trapattoni kept his unbeaten record in an Irish dugout intact, with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Dalymount Park last Thursday.

Now its all eyes on Croke Park this Wednesday as Cyprus roll into town. And boy do we owe Cyprus a hiding! The result in Nicosia this time 2 years ago was a real low point in Irish football...so what’s different this time around?

Well, the manager for starters...One gets the impression that there's no way we'd ship 5 goals to anyone under Trapattoni. There's also a renewed hunger with this batch of players. The mix of old heads, such as Dunne, Keane and Given combined with talent like Andy Keogh and the particularly exciting Caleb Folan has breathed a fresh impetus into this qualifying campaign. The big Hull man has played himself into Trapattoni's plans this season, particularly when showing strength and composure to fire Ireland into a first half lead on Thursday night.

Folan gives us something different to what we've had up front recently. He told me after Thursday’s game, "I tried to show what my game is all about, I think I bring a lot of passion to the team (not that the team lacks passion), but that’s what my game is all about...passion and hard work. There's talk of me staying on with the World Cup squad and I'm pleased with how it’s gone so far".

As am I. Qualification for South Africa is a serious possibility, and Folan may just prove to be the ace in Trapattoni's pack. With Italy and Bulgaria fighting out a stalemate on Saturday, there’s now a real opportunity to grab a hold of our group and press on from here. A decisive win over the Cypriots could see us top the group on Wednesday night. And with a couple of home games in the spring before we face Marcello Lippi’s men, it’s particularly important to secure the three points.

Not that this will be an easy task. Cyprus is a developing football nation, with club sides such as Anorthosis Famagusta picking up points in this season’s Champions League. The national side have already shaken up this group, particularly when it took a 91st minute winner for Italy to prevail in Larnaca. A missed penalty prevented them from taking all three points in Tblisi on Saturday, so it’s vital we see the Cypriots as a genuine threat.

Assistant manager Marco Tardelli yesterday admitted that Wednesday’s fixture is “very, very dangerous”, saying “Cyprus is a good team, with good players. We can’t forget they beat Ireland last year 5-2, and we drew 1-1 at home”. The threat is there for all to see, but if we have serious aspirations of qualification, ‘Operation Revenge’ must be successful. He spoke of the difference in the Irish mind frame under the current management “I think now we play Cyprus in a better position, because we have trust and confidence”.

Giovanni Trapattoni has no fresh injury worries ahead of Wednesday night, although Caleb Folan and Alex Bruce did sit out training over the weekend with slight knocks. There is no concern of them not being available. It is expected that the only changes Trapattoni will make will be the inclusion of the returning Damien Duff, and those enforced by the absence of Stephen Reid and Steve Finnan. John O’Shea will possibly slot in at right full, with Paul McShane partnering Richard Dunne at centre half. Again it appears Andy Reid will miss out despite his fine recent form for Sunderland, with Liam Miller the favourite to occupy the vacancy in midfield.

On Wednesday, the current crop of Irish internationals have the opportunity to somewhat banish the nightmares of that night in Nicosia, and in doing so; take our group by the scruff of the neck. Nothing but a win will do for the manager, the players, and the fans. It won’t be easy, but one expects there’s enough hurt still burning inside those who played in the 5-2 defeat to provide the springboard for a win. Even though that reverse is irrelevant with regard to this fixture, this game is more than just three points…It’s about revenge