No Jewell in Our Crown

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Irish Voice Sport

No Jewell in Our Crown

November 22, 2007

Cathal Dervan

THE current Irish soccer team has lost plenty in recent times, everything from a manager in Stephen Staunton to a number of crucial European Championship games in their failed bids to make Switzerland and Austria next summer, but at least the fans haven’t lost their sense of humor.

Midway through the first half in a deserted Millennium Stadium last Saturday afternoon the 5,500 Irish fans — the Diehards we can call them from now on — rose in one voice.

At first it was hard to hear what they were singing. Then the penny dropped. “Russia, Russia,” they chanted in honor of the Russian team and their match with Israel in Tel Aviv later that night.

It didn’t transpire, of course, but at that moment in time there was the potential for a Russian win in Israel to knock England out of the European Championship qualification reckoning.

As it happened Steve McClaren’s squad now need only a point against Croatia on Wednesday night to book their place in the finals after a late goal from a player named Golan lifted Israel to new heights. (Sorry about that pun, by the way!)

At 3:30 on Saturday afternoon the Irish fans who filled one sixth of the 30,000 seats used in a near empty Millennium still had faith in Russia’s ability to dent English hopes. More importantly, they still had faith in their own team, quite something after the roller coaster ride of a Euro campaign that finally ended in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.

It ended in typical fashion of course, this Irish side throwing away a 2-1 lead late on when Paul McShane conceded a needless penalty in a clash with substitute David Cotterrill just two minutes from the end of normal time.

Quite why Shay Given bothered to stand up to face the resultant Jason Koumas penalty is beyond me. After Bratislava and San Marino and Prague we should have taken it for granted that this Irish side would throw away a perfectly good lead late on in their final Group D game. And sure enough they did.

Just minutes later the Ukrainian referee blew the whistle for the final time and we were all put out of our misery, finally given the chance to bury a campaign that had already died one death in Prague back in September.

Leaving the stadium for a Saturday night escape via Ryanair and Bristol airport, there was time to pick up the pieces as various Ireland players stopped to talk of the need to get the right man for the job now that Stan is gone and Don Givens is no longer the caretaker.

To a man they all spoke of the need for an experienced manager to take the reins whipped off Staunton after the Cyprus debacle at Croker last month.

The favorite for the job, if you listen to that idiot Dunphy, is the former Wigan boss Paul Jewell, but my money, literally, is on Terry Venables.

And before I tell you why he should get the job — unless Mick McCarthy fancies a return — let me give you a number of reasons why Dunphy’s choice shouldn’t.

Firstly, what exactly has Jewell achieved in the English game? Where are the trophies that qualify him for the Irish job?

Secondly, what are his experiences of playing at a level higher than the Liverpool reserves?

Thirdly, what’s his knowledge of international football? Has he ever been involved with any international side that we know of?

Fourthly, can he handle the pressure that is now part and parcel of the Ireland job, considering he quit the Premier League because he couldn’t cope with a bit of local stick down the famous Wigan Pier last summer?

And last but by no means least, if is he such a professional how come his Wigan players didn’t know they had qualified for the League Cup final on the away goals rule when they scored in extra-time at Highbury a couple of seasons back and were ready for a replay?

Jewell may be a young manager with great potential, but that is not enough for Ireland anymore. We tried that with Stan, remember?

No, this time the job needs a steady hand, a man who has been through the wringer and has come out smiling. We need a man with his finger on the pulse at international level, a man who can persuade Stephen Ireland to play again and can get the best out of Robbie Keane and Duffer, when he returns after injury.

McCarthy could do all that, but I doubt he would give up the Wolves for the chance to renew acquaintances with some of the rats populating the back pages in Ireland these days.

Instead the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) should ignore Jewell and approach the English FA for permission to talk to their current coach Venables.

Sure he is assistant to Steve McClaren at a time when England are all but qualified for the Euro finals, but my information is that El Tel would abandon a number two job if he was offered the chance to be a number one in his own right again.

After this European fiasco we need help and we need El Tel. The FAI can offer him that chance and they should.

The fact that it would really get up Dunphy’s nose is a mere bonus.

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