Mick moves in mysterious ways

By jeering at various intervals and, inevitably, chanting the name of the exiled hero Roy Keane, they caused many pundits to theorize about terrible new standards of behavior among the group formerly known as the most lauded supporters on the planet. Ridiculous stuff. Eoin Hand and his team knew well what it was like to feel the wrath of the crowd when things didn’t go their way playing at home, and, much more recently, Keane himself had to put up with some brief booing during a World Cup qualifier against Iceland in November 1996. This kind of stuff is nothing new.
It might not be particularly nice to witness Irish fans turning against their own, but a case can be made that this is their only way of voicing displeasure at current goings-on. Hand had opprobrium heaped upon him after a 0-0 draw against Norway in May 1985 because a lot of those on the terraces that day could not understand why Paul McGrath, then starting to come into his own at Old Trafford, was on the bench. McCarthy had abuse ringing in his ears because the wonder of satellite television is that everybody else in the stadium knew that John O’Shea is a more talented defender than any of the four that started against Switzerland. And even though some believe that the booing represents an aping of excesses more usually associated with English fans, others can legitimately claim that complaining is the prerogative of supporters who aspire to winning regularly, rather than just participating. Call them the Keane acolytes.
All the credit given to McCarthy for apparently making the most of meager resources conveniently ignores the fact that as he settles down to select his squad before each international, he has bigger choices available than any other Irish manager before him. Due in part to the success of the team he captained so valiantly in Italia ’90, there are more Irish boys trying to make it in England and Scotland than at any other time in our sporting history. One recent estimate had the number of Irish teenagers currently battling for a place in the big leagues at close enough to 200. Thanks to the admirable work of Brian Kerr and Noel O’Reilly, this manager also has access to one of the most fecund underage franchises in Europe. It’s not as if McCarthy has to fill out the roster with lower-division journeymen, as does his counterpart in Wales, Mark Hughes.
Far more than Hughes or Bertie Vogts up in Scotland, McCarthy has viable alternatives at almost every position. He just refuses to exploit them. During the World Cup, one of the major weaknesses of his selection policy was showing blind faith in an increasingly more inadequate Ian Harte, a tactic that cost the manager one of his substitutions in every game. After Suwon, the obvious thing to do would have been to tell Harte and Kevin Kilbane that they were no longer guaranteed starters, informing them that as soon as they showed the type of form required for international football they’d be back in the frame. Instead, he starts both of them against Switzerland (does the manager even remember Phil Babb made his name many years ago as a left-full?), and rather than end Kilbane’s misery at the earliest opportunity, he moves the unfortunate Sunderland reserve from the left side of midfield and gives him a bizarre interlude at center forward.
In a similar vein, the introduction of Thomas Butler for his competitive debut in the 82nd minute was another graphic illustration of how little McCarthy has learned from his previous three qualifying campaigns. One of the highest-rated Irish prospects in England, this was neither the time nor the place for Butler to be blooded. It was a panic measure that brought to mind another forgettable evening in Skopje three years ago when Matt Holland was thrown in for the first time in a game that mattered, as Ireland clung to, and eventually lost a one-goal lead against Macedonia. Unfortunately, bitter experience counts for little with a manager who can pick a Celtic reserve (the game Colin Healy) yet fail to accommodate the most talked-about young defender in the Premiership (O’Shea).
Perhaps the only thing that can be said in McCarthy’s defense just now is that his departure is not certain to lead to the return of Keane. Although Group 10 is one of those middling affairs where every country looks capable of dropping unexpected points, the reasons the Manchester United captain had decided to retire before Saipan remain in place. The FAI is still a shambles and, presumably, his personal desire to spend more time during the season with his wife and kids remains as pressing as ever. Coming back to a side already handicapped in the competition by two defeats might not appear that attractive to a footballer whose body seems to be suffering more and more wear and tear with each passing season.
While McCarthy’s leaving will heap pressure on the Corkman to come back, there is a novel way that the manager could also land another huge blow in the ongoing public relations war between the two. As he evaluates his options this week, McCarthy should consider the following route. Rather than hammering out a deal, the financial repercussions of which will soften the blow of what is essentially the sack, and also adversely affect the future of Irish soccer, he could take the initiative himself and resign honorably. Not just that, he could also release a statement pointing out that since Ireland has been so good to him over the last 20 years — and only Jack Charlton has made more money from commercial endorsements — he doesn’t want a severance package estimated to be in the region of euros 400,000. It would be some note to go out on. But don’t hold your breath.