Captain Sensible takes it in his stride

Tom Humphries listens as Kenny Cunnigham gracefully runs the gauntlet of the scribblers

Another game, another Kenny Cunningham press conference.

"On me lonesome here again, am I?" he says to Brendan McKenna, who is supervising the traditional extinguishing of the mobile phones.

"Yep," says McKenna.

"You could cut the tension with a knife," laughs Cunningham.

Whatever burdens the Irish captaincy has brought to Cunningham's shoulders, the press conference circuit is the one he handles most easily. Reticent but not paranoid, humorous but not too lightweight, he provides decent service in hard times.

For us media scufflers these are hard times. Nobody wants to talk to us. Everything is our fault.

Cunningham has the old pro's attitude to the scribbling fraternity. Smile and get on with it. He deals with this week's business and takes some Russian post mortem stuff in his stride.

"Looking forward to the game. Disappointed in the result in Russia. You look forward to the next game after that. We've had some great nights in Lansdowne.

"In real terms, if we have ambitions of winning the group and qualifying automatically, yes, it's a game we have to go and win, but it's too early. We could lose and go on."

It's all warm-up stuff. Stretch and bend. The list of things not to be spoken about at Mick McCarthy press conferences has grown longer than the index of most books, so the captain's sessions provide an outlet.

The first real question comes disguised as an expression of concern.

"Kenny, you're not looking for extra excuses, but how does it affect the squad when so much that is non-football is happening, so long as books are being serialised, there are so many outside issues?"

Kenny gives a resigned smile, the sort defenders give when they pick the ball out of the net and kick it towards the centre circle for the restart. Okay. Let's get on with then.

"I don't think it has affected the squad. The lads spend most of their time in England. Most of the media stuff is based in Ireland. A few of us came into Dublin early this week and we've become aware, but there's no extra pressure. There's no area of negativity that's evident outside of the squad."

"Do you talk among yourselves about it all?"

"About what exactly?"

Roy. Roy. Roy. 24.7. Roy. All Roy, All The Time. What else man?

"When it's in print day in day out obviously it seems like it will never go away," Kenny says, launching a counter-attack. "I can't say it's the main topic of conversation in the squad. Most people have had their say. Everyone is exhausted. There are so many important games ahead of us. All we can do is look forward. I don't give it a lot of thought. I can understand it. Roy is such a massive personality and a world class player. We are still part of the national team, though. We have a responsibility to stay focused. That's not a big effort though."

And Mick's diary?

"It's a matter of opinion. Everyone is entitled to it. Yourselves included. There's going to be a lot of interest in what Mick has got to say. That's Mick's prerogative. It doesn't pre-occupy us."

Can you see Roy coming back in the near future?

"I don't give it any thought. No disrespect to Roy, but I just don't have any influence. It's a waste of energy for me to be concerning myself there. I've no bearing on it. The buzz we get is what we achieve on the football pitch. It's not what we say to journalists.

"I pick up the papers, you get a sense of negativism and pessimism. I don't understand it. We're not in one of those runs where you wonder where the next result is coming from. We are 13th in the world. There's a progression under Mick.

"I think the players and the footballing public don't have this sense. They see it as a bad day at the office. No disrespect to the room here today, but that's where our loyalty lies."

How much of a blow would it be if Mick went?

"Of course I'd be sorry to see him go. Probably being a little bit selfish. Mick gave me my debut. It's thanks to him I have 40-odd caps. I'll always be grateful; it would be a sad day. One day it will come to an end. Mick will walk away.

"We've always known that. It would be a fitting tribute to Mick if we reached the European finals."

It's winding down though. The press conference, the Mick/Roy business. Running out of steam. No legs left. Life expectancy dependent on what happens tomorrow night.

"Alright lads?" says Kenny.

Alright.