Ireland restore some pride

SOCCER/Managers' reaction: He didn't come to the press room and crow about the rumours of his demise being greatly exaggerated but he was entitled to. Steve Staunton's brief but turbulent career as an Ireland manager took another unlikely turn last night when his raggle taggle side snatched a point off one of Europe's more aristocratic outfits.

A one-all draw with the Czech Republic is the sort of swallow which does not a summer make of course, but coming as it did with an infirmary full of injured players and in the wake of the worst result in the nation's history, this felt as good and as refreshing as a win.

Certainly it was enough to put a certain lightness into the step of the young manager as he came among those of us who have highlighted his deficiencies in terms ranging from politeness in suggestions that he is out of his depth to ascribing to Staunton the physical attributes of some of the less attractive cast members of the muppets.

He wore a grey suit and sat alone at the front of the room with his chin jutting defiantly. This was his night. A back-off-the-ropes occasion.

First question: How pleasing was that?

"I'm disappointed," he said, a typical Staunton response. "I think we should have had three points tonight. The players gave everything. We created chances. It didn't go our way. It's an improvement though. We're playing the way we want to play."

It was one of those nights which give a young manager pause for thought. Layers with big reputations were following the game on the Ceefax in their luxury homes across the water. Into the pressure cooker of Lansdowne Road, Staunton had been forced to throw callow youngsters like Wayne Henderson, Stephen Kelly and Paul McShane.

They gave fine accounts of themselves, with McShane (the son of good Dublin GAA stock) scooping the man of the match award despite having the misfortune to be turned by Koller for the Czech goal. Staunton had been served well.

"They were magnificent. Every single one of them. The senior players led by example tonight but Paul McShane, Wayne Henderson and Stephen Kelly all did brilliantly."

Ho hum. The press conference enters an embarrassing lull period where it seems as if Cyprus must be mentioned but nobody actually has the heart. Eventually a polite formula of words is found.

"What was different tonight?"

"It was different because the back four didn't make mistakes. They knew they had to put in a performance for the supporters who were magnificent. The players produced what they can produce. I have full faith in them."

So to the nitty gritty, the nuts and bolts questions. A midfield made up of journeymen professionals had stood the test.

"Jonathan Douglas and Lee Carsley were magnificent. They did what we wanted them to do. We had only a day with Lee but I knew what Lee could do. You look at that performance, we had a great chance at the end and Jonathan had a great chance earlier. We could have won tonight."

It's an indication of how much the mood has changed that nobody has the heart now to ask how it was that if he knew so much about Carsley's capabilities, why the Everton player had almost to prostrate himself at his feet to get a place in the squad for last night. Winners write their own history.

As for the future? At last we know what it takes to motivate this particular bunch of pampered players. A week of contumely and derision. Adults dressed as muppets at their training sessions.

As for the manager, how hard had the last few days been?

"Not hard at all. The last few days I have been out on the training ground and the lads have been buzzing around.

"I don't read the press and so long as you leave my family alone I'll take everything on the chin."

We the boys of the press, crestfallen that our top quips and wittiest barbs are going unread, closed out the press conference with a few soft passes.

How far is there to go?

Guess?

"There's a long way to go. There's competition for places now. It's early days in the young lads' tenure as well. We know there's a long way to go. There's work to be done.

"The Czechs are a very good side. Look at the changes they made. He took off two wide players for two defenders. At the end he was happy with a draw and we're the one's who are disappointed.

"We have two good games ahead now, San Marino home and away. The luck will change, but it only changes with hard work. Nothing less than what went in effort-wise tonight will be needed.

"The lads are improving all the time. They stood up to the mark tonight. It's great. I hope everyone is fit next time. I'll have a problem then picking 20 or 23 players."

Staunton rose and left, untouched by glove or knife. He left behind a buzzing press room.

When the urbane Czechs were among us discussing the finer points of their strategy for qualification, we had sat glum and disinterested. Just one solid inquiry of them.

"It seemed like you were playing for one point from the start," we asked Czech manager Karel Bruckner, hoping that he would have the grace to demur. He did.

"Not from the very beginning but as you have heard in the end I was happy to play for the draw."

Music to Irish ears.