St Ledger predicts positive response

Seán St Ledger is confident the Republic of Ireland can deliver the perfect response to their critics by booking a trip to the World Cup finals, after Giovanni Trapattoni’s side ended their Group Eight qualifying campaign unbeaten last, courtesy of a forgettable 0-0 draw with Montenegro at Croke Park.

The result was largely immaterial with Ireland having already secured their place in next month’s play-offs, and with the manager having made six changes to the side which fell just short of a famous victory over reigning champions Italy on Saturday, there was a sense of anti-climax about the whole affair.

However, the point at least saw the Irish end the group stage unbeaten in their 10 games at the end of a week when Trapattoni’s detractors were at their most vociferous.

St Ledger insists that he and his team-mates can answer all the criticism when they meet up again next month for two crucial games against either France, Russia, Portugal or Greece.

“I would say we are in the play-offs - that’s the best way to answer it,” said St Ledger after the match. “When we were seeded for this group, we were not seeded second, so we have over-achieved, really.

“If we won the World Cup and didn’t play very well, would people moan? I don’t think they would.

“Everyone has an opinion — football is a game of opinions. Pundits can express their opinions and every fan who comes and pays their money maybe has a different opinion to you or I.

“But that’s life, it’s the sort of thing you just have to put up with.

“Some of the press has been a little bit negative, but such is life.

“To call our performance ‘shameful’ on Saturday was a little bit harsh, but everyone has the right to an opinion and that was his [Eamonn Dunphy’s] opinion, so fair enough.”

However, Middlesbrough defender St Ledger knows there will be little margin for error when the Republic run out on November 14th and 18th.

He said: “We are going to be coming up against a very good team, so we are probably going to have to step up another level.

“That’s the nature of being in the play-offs. The best teams have got through to the World Cup and now the remaining ones are there.

“They are there for a reason, we are there for a reason and they are going to be really, really tough games.

“Whoever we are going to get at this stage is going to be a tough team to play, but I feel we can beat anybody.

“We are unbeaten in the campaign, and I would imagine it’s a long time since that has happened.

“That’s what the boss has brought in here, a lot of steel, grit and mentality not to lose.”