By David Hennessy
Shay Given sees the green shoots of promise in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Republic of Ireland team.
Shay sat down to chat with the Irish World ahead of this international window so he was speaking ahead of their recent win against Finland.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s reign started with two defeats, both 2-0 against England and Greece at home in Dublin.
They would pick up their first win against Finland before beating beaten 2-0 again by Greece away from home.
On 14 November they beat Finland again and will conclude their Nations League campaign today (17 November) against England at Wembley.
Shay Given played 134 times for Republic of Ireland. This makes him the second most capped player for the Boys in Green behind only Robbie Keane.
His 20 year international career included the World Cup in 2002 and the European Championships in 2012. Shay would also travel to the Euros in 2016 as back up to Darren Randolph.
At club level, he is remembered for his time minding the net for Newcastle United. He also had stints at Manchester City and Aston Villa.
We caught up with Shay ahead of Republic of Ireland’s final two Nations League matches against Finland and England. Shay chatted about this campaigns but also the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers that will see Ireland try to make it to their first major tournament in ten years and first World Cup in 24 with 2002, when Shay was there, being their last appearance.
Shay can see reasons for optimism in the group of young players Ireland have as well as the new manager Heimir Hallgrímsson who seems to be finding a rhythm and perhaps paying for his lack of any preparation friendlies with the visit of England being the first time he sent his team out.
Shay also gave his thoughts on Caoimhín Kelleher who, although playing at the moment due to an injury to Alison, seems to be second choice at Liverpool and surely needs a move to further his career.
The Irish World also chatted to Shay back in September.
We asked you last time how confident you were with this Irish team. What are your thoughts after seeing them play four times?
“I think there’s some signs.
“It is frustrating because I think I said at the time as well, he should have really been in, in my opinion, for the four friendlies after Stephen Kenny leaving.
“I know John O’Shea did his best but I just feel like the new manager, had that been John O’Shea or Heimir Hallgrímsson, I think he should have been in to use those friendlies to prepare for these competitive games.
“It feels he’s used these four competitive games to prepare for what’s coming so I don’t think his preparation was great if I’m being brutally honest.
“Obviously they had the result out in Finland which was a good result.
“And then you want to back that up with something in Greece, maybe with even a draw or something.
“It was 1-0 to the late mistake by Caoimhín at the end, but I think there are signs.
“I’ve always said this, and I suppose results don’t back up what I’m saying.
“I do believe there’s a nucleus of a good team there. I really do.
“You’ve seen after Robbie Brady got that late winner, you could see the celebrations and the relief on the lads’ faces and the belief, because it takes results to get to believe in what any managers doing.
“I think if they can build on that performance and that result, then that would be key.
“But it’s still early days.
“It’s only four games in but it’s a tough couple of games coming up.”
We play England at Wembley this weekend, what did you think of Ireland’s display against England at the Aviva back in September?
“It was probably frustrating.
“In the first half I thought England were absolutely brilliant, and it’s hard to admit that.
“I think the atmosphere was probably the best that the Aviva has been for a long time.
“Before the game, the place was absolutely bouncing.
“I was there for RTE TV and I felt a really good buzz before the game and within the stadium.
“The fans are amazing.
“But the problem was England were so good. I think especially Grealish.
“In the first half, he was nearly unplayable. He was absolutely brilliant playing in that more central role for England.
“Where he plays at Man City, I think sometimes he has less influence on the game on the left wing.
“I think he’s a real talented player individual and I think he showed in Dublin that day.
“It was frustrating for us because the atmosphere was so good.
“We pressed them high up the pitch and then they picked us off a little bit in the first half.
“In hindsight should we maybe have sat in more of a defensive unit and left less gaps and use a bit of pace on the break perhaps?
“Wembley I would imagine there will be more of a defensive unit, and then try and to limit their space in the attacking third because if we open up at Wembley, I think we’ll be in for a long evening.”
We spoke before about Caoimhín Kelleher and how it may be best for him to move away from Liverpool.
He made that error against Greece and I put that down to not having played that regularly at the time..
“I think the frustrating thing for Caoimhín and Irish fans is he’s good enough to be playing anywhere regularly.
“He’s proven that at Liverpool the last few weeks how good a goalkeeper is.
“The mistake in Greece happens.
“It was a collector’s item really when you look at his form for Liverpool.
“When you’re asked to play out, mistakes will happen.
“You’ve seen it with the best goalkeepers in the world.
“That’s normal.
“The good thing about Caoimhín is he’s bounced back from that and it’s not gone into the next game for Liverpool.
“I think that’s important for a goalkeeper as well.
“We all make mistakes. How do you bounce back? And that’s a sign of a top goalkeeper.
“He’s not been bothered by it or fazed by it.
“The frustrating thing from an Irish point of view is Arne Slot’s not come out and said, ‘It’s competition for the number one jersey and it’s a fair fight’.
“He’s kind of said that Alison’s number one.
“So on the back of that, you would imagine when he’s fit, he’ll come back into the team so Caoimhín’s going to be very frustrated again because he’s been playing brilliant.
“Even in the Champions League the other night (4-0, Bayer Leverkusen), he didn’t have much to do but he made three brilliant saves towards the end of the game.
“That shows to me that his concentration levels are at the highest point and there to make big saves when called upon.
“So what happens next then? I don’t know.
“I think he’s 26 this month. It’s time for something to happen.
“I’m sure Liverpool at that point as well would be thinking, ‘We can’t hold him back any longer’.
“As I say, he’s 26. He’s not a kid anymore.”
There’s been a lot of talk about the new England manager being German, what is your take on ‘foreign’ managers. After all, you played under Trapattoni..
“Looking back at the Trapattoni, we were buzzing someone of that sort of stature was going to manage us because we were a small nation and he was a hugely successful manager.
“England’s a different kettle fish.
“They’re a bigger nation.
“I suppose in the cold light of day, it’s a little bit of a kick in the teeth to English coaches or English managers.
“I suppose Eddie Howe- With my Newcastle head on, I’m glad they didn’t speak to him but he would have been the obvious choice to even have a conversation with.
“He said they didn’t speak to him at all which surprises me.
“But there’s all these coaching programmes and you pay X amount to be on them, and there’s a lot of English coaches that are on them every single season.
“So does that put them back now because they’ve got a German in charge?
“It feels like there was probably enough to choose from that are good enough.
“But again, we can bring this up in 18 months.
“If they’ve won the World Cup it will be, ‘That was the right decision’.
“People say he was the best man for the job right now: He’s not involved in a club, there was no compensation.
“He’s a winner so there’s lots of positives.
“But I suppose English coaches will think one of them should be doing it.”
The final question brings us back to the Republic of Ireland, can Ireland make it to the next World Cup?
“The belief will have to come from the manager and the coaching staff.
“I know John O’Shea is still there which was important, I think, to keep John as a leader.
“It’s going to be difficult because when you lose in the Nations League, you drop down again and when the draws are made, you’re a pot less.
“We talked about the Spain, Italy and Croatia draw, it gets tougher and tougher.
“That’s the vicious circle we have to get away from, whatever it takes.
“I’ve said this before; Win ugly, get results.
“Especially away from home, be hard to beat.
“Look at set plays, look at weaknesses from the opposition.
“You talked about Trapattoni before. We went to some places and we won ugly or we got the draw ugly in Russia or wherever it was and dug out results.
“You have to do that.
“It’s not all going to be pretty football and free flowing football.
“It’s going to be ‘roll your sleeves up’ stuff at times but the most important thing is we get to major finals.
“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it to the day I die: The competitions, senior major competitions are less without Ireland there.
“The players and the fans, they add real colour and atmosphere to any tournament.
“It’s not going to be easy and I’m not going to say we’re going to do it but you just hope.
“This group of players now, they are relatively young but now I think they’re relatively young and more experienced.
“They’ve been around a couple of years now and they know what it takes. They know how difficult it is to qualify.
“They have to get off to a good start.
“A start is absolutely massive.”
Republic of Ireland play England 5pm Sunday 17 November.
Shay Given is a brand ambassador for sports betting platform CopyBet. Visit CopyBet.com.
