Absentees must envy Liege lions

EMMET MALONEfinds some of the stars of the Italian win delighted to have made a strong case for future selection

THE OUTCOME might have been described over in Italy as a “smash and grab” but from the Irish end of the press box in Liege on Tuesday evening it looked more like Giovanni Trapattoni’s men had looked more like “have-a go-heroes” – and not the types whose misfortunes are regularly reported in the tabloids.

No, here was a group who gave their all in an heroic effort, battling odds that should have been insurmountable and thanks largely to their stubborn refusal to admit defeat, they actually won.

Much better Republic of Ireland teams have been well beaten by Italian sides and the scale of the achievement was not lost on the players as they wandered out in to the night after the game.

Of course, it was an end-of-season friendly but the reaction in Italy suggested it was not quite meaningless and that’s before we get to the point about it being the last instalment in what has been, from Trapattoni’s point of view, a rather successful audition process for fringe players keen to see more centre-stage action.

Most, understandably, reckoned they might just have earned a call back to the next round as they headed off with smiles on their faces to start their summer holidays. “That’s what we wanted to do,” said David Forde, the 31-year-old Millwall goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet on his first international start, some seven years after he had to be talked out of giving the game up by Derry City boss Stephen Kenny in the wake of his release by West Ham.

“We wanted to show the people what we could do. People had question marks about the strength in depth and I’m sure that performance will answer a few questions.

“It’s been unreal; the season I’ve had,” he said in relation to his experience. “I look back on it as definitely my best. To get 20 clean sheets in the Championship, another one here tonight, I’ve been in a couple of squads, made my debut, my son was born five weeks ago and that’s one to show him and my daughters in the years to come.

“I just hope I’ve done my case some good, moved up the pecking order and given the manager some food for thought. That’s what I set out to do and I like to think I have. I’m pleased and I can enjoy my holidays now.”

It was a sentiment echoed by most of the team as they departed. Those of the more established players who had travelled must have been pleased to have cemented their place in the manager’s affections but for those on the margins the upside was rather greater than that.

“It was my first time in the squad and I was under no illusions,” said Simon Cox not long after taking his international record to date to two goals in four games, “but to play as much as I have has been fantastic. I hope I’ve shown my commitment and the manager will appreciate that.”

Stephen Hunt had more cause than most to be pleased with himself after turning in one of the performances of his career but the Wolves midfielder was magnanimous about those who had missed out.

“There’s been a big deal made out of the ones who didn’t come,” he said, “but they’ll be back fighting for their places. The important thing is that the ones that have been here have done themselves no harm at all.

“What tops it all, Macker (Paul McShane) has been captain tonight. Ye (the media) have given him plenty of stick over the years but he played well tonight.”

McShane himself wrapped up the proceedings with a new take on the stay-aways and the old postcard slogan.

“Yeah, I think if I was in their shoes,” he said, “if I was looking at the results that we’ve got, I think I’d be sort of kicking myself a little bit, saying ‘I wish I was part of that’. When you’re sitting at home, chilling on holidays, I think some of the lads will think: ‘I wish I was there’.”