Dublin's lost leader all set for a return

The bunch on the Hill are particular about their cult heroes but already, Ian Robertson seems to have claimed a distinct role in their affections. If and when the Ballymun player emerges from the tunnel for Dublin in Croke Park tomorrow, either as a starting player or a substitute, the appreciation from the sky blue stronghold will be voluble. There is something about Robertson that instills confidence, a quiet assurance and fortitude about him that has eluded a fragile if unlucky Dublin squad in recent years.

In many ways, Robertson's experiences as a senior footballer encapsulate those of Tom Carr's Dublin. The guy has not been able to buy a break. Apart of course, from a foot break, a shin break, an ankle break, and damn well heart break . . .

His sporadic appearances for Dublin over the past three seasons have done more than enough to prove he has both the application and intent to deliver on underage promise that was the talk of Gaelic suburbs throughout the capital. Robertson's rites of passage coincided with a bright time for the game in the city, with Pat O'Neill finally putting the finishing touches to a gifted senior team that probably ought to have won an All-Ireland before finally arriving at the pinnacle in 1995. Dublin have not necessarily undergone any sort of seismic fall since then, it's just that small things added up to slowly dampen the fire.

Robertson played league for Dublin as far back as 1994, impressing one crisp Sunday as both Dublin and their famous adversaries from the Kingdom fielded shadow sides. A fringe youngster during the long, hot summer of '95, Robertson began to feature more prominently in 1996 and made his championship debut against Meath the next year. Although he has been first choice since, injury has prevented the 24-year-old from becoming the central figure Dublin football has sought in vain. "Ian is a natural leader, absolutely," offers Tom Carr. "He is a very intelligent and thoughtful guy and his opinion would carry a lot of weight. Ian is very much into the idea of Dublin football doing well, of the game thriving here, it matters to him. He is not in this for himself in any respect."

A measured, straight talker, Robertson has grown accustomed to leading. Alan Larkin, who managed the player during Dublin's minor campaign of 1993, remembers the Ballymun lad was the players' unanimous choice for captain then. Although pleased with the accolade, he accepted it without fuss or affectation because Robertson has always been the antithesis of the prima donna.

Much has been made of his roving career as a teenager, which has carried on through to senior level. Eyebrows were raised when Carr named him at ful-forward a week before the Louth championship match in 1999. Robertson, reckoned most observers, was developing nicely as Dublin's centre back, a natural heir to Keith Barr.

It should be acknowledged Carr's decision really did not get the credit it deserved when Robertson hit 1-1 in the desperate closing minutes of Dublin's semi-final against Laois. Although his fisted equalising point was clouded by claims he lifted the ball off the ground, he had the presence and coolness to be there and he drilled four points from play as Dublin cruised through the replay.

He has plied his trade at full forward since, but questions persist about his natural position; some would rather see him return to the heart of Dublin's defence. Carr is aware of such opinion.

"It's not a question of seeing Ian purely as an attacker. Some say Ian should be full back, or our half back. But the fact is you cannot afford to build a defence around a player who has been as susceptible to injury as Ian. A defence needs stability, time to gel. Look, if I had five Ian Robertsons, I'd be perfectly happy to play each of them down the centre for Dublin. But that luxury isn't there for us."

The player himself has never objected to the constant shuffling around. "My only preference is I play down the middle. I don't really care so long as I am not on the wing. I grew up playing in the central spots, so I am used to it. And I don't mind playing up front, I like to get a score - when I can," he told this newspaper after his first attacking role against Louth.

Pragmatism has governed the conversion as much as anything. Robertson is a magnificent reader of the game and, at full forward, can create space with economy of effort. Being tailed as opposed to marking allows Robertson to operate at a less physically straining level.

"Correct," says Carr. "We were conscious of that when we put him in there. It has to be said Ian has been incredibly unlucky with injuries - he is a bit prone, but not to the extent that he has been plagued. It has been one thing after another."

A clash in the early stages of the last year's drawn Leinster final against Kildare forced him off after 18 minutes with a broken bone in his foot. Would there have been a replay had he been fit? Would Dublin have lost?

He last lined out for Dublin in Donegal in a spring league match where he was, by all accounts, both iron-willed and instrumental in guiding the visitors through a tough, ugly win. A few weeks later, he was ruled out after damaging a shin.

"He has not played for us since the Donegal game," says Carr, ruefully. It is not difficult to see why the Dublin manager places so much faith in Robertson. He adds more depth to a county team that has looked sublime at times but suffered a series of cruel implosions, none more so than in the opening minutes of the second half in the Leinster final replay last year.

"Just the pure physical presence of the man as a player is notable," says Carr. "I think he is just a cut above most players in terms of his class and his approach. Ian always seems to be able to do things on his own terms, in his own time - always the simple, correct thing."

And that is what they see on the Hill. A former attacking idol of the city fans, Barney Rock reckons it is vital Robertson gets a game behind him before Dublin find themselves in a knock-out situation.

"Ian is a very clever player and physically strong. The unfortunate thing is we have seen very little of him as a forward, he has only managed to play a few games there. But he is probably comparable to Trevor Giles in that he could play almost anywhere. I'd say it is true that playing up front probably puts less strain on him than a defensive role. It's a funny thing, we have not yet seen enough of Ian to establish what his best position might be."

For now, though, anywhere central will do. As long as he is on the field.