Ireland (National Football)

It is a curious thing sport, where the difference between winning and losing sparks much debate as to the appropriate merits and quality of a team.

In rugby, it is especially so. 

Less than a month ago, we were all extolling the virtues of the Red Dragons. 

Against France, they were on the verge of equalling the tournament record of consecutive wins and looking ominous for winning back-to-back Grand Slams. 

Such an achievement would not only have cemented their position as the finest team in the Northern hemisphere, but also would have enabled comparisons to the fabled teams of the 1950s and 1970s.

However, Wales were overcome by an exceptional French performance, and now Warren Gatland is being criticised for devaluing the tournament and insulting the Italians by making wholesale changes to his side.

With this, we now look at Ireland, unbeaten.

Declan Kidney's side are seemingly on the verge of not only a Grand Slam, but righting the wrongs of the last few years by being so close to only their second-ever tournament whitewash.

And all this with a one point win over England? An England side that spent 20 minutes playing with one less player on the field?

Such are the rewards that come with victory. 

This is despite boasting a 5-6 win/loss ratio last year, and not having won a major championship since 1985.

Such an unwanted record has come despite having arguably one of the most stable, most experienced sides in the world. 

Despite the fact that this is, and has been, the best Irish team on paper in 134 years of test rugby.

So to read between the lines, much of this “astonishing” transformation is owed to Declan Kidney, the Magician of Munster, the two-times Heineken Cup winning Coach.

Still with largely the same team, the change in Ireland has been remarkable.

The fresh blood has been dynamic, with Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, and Stephen Ferris now firmly entrenched within the side.  But it has been the form of the old hands, led by Captain Brian O’Driscoll, who has impressed the most. 

This is a canny Ireland side, who against Scotland will boast an incredible 751 test caps in their starting 15. 

It has taken a while, but one suspects that the years of being Six Nations bridesmaids and the stain of failures such as the World Cup in 2007 have mentally hardened this team.

And now Kidney is adding the final touches to the blueprint.

It has not been Gallic flair that has put Ireland in this position; it has been uncompromising brutality and perfectly executed rugby basics. 

Ireland have not run riot in this championship. It is clear that they have adopted a just-win mentality, no matter how.

The reality is, as proven by England and South Africa in recent World Cups, that this is how international rugby is now being played.

But they now face a team whose best chance of victory may be in doing the opposite.

Scotland are in theory, in crisis.

It has been said that Coach Frank Hadden is drinking in the last chance saloon.  The overlord of Scottish rugby, Gordon McKie, has set a performance objective for this team; two wins in this tournament.

Considering that they haven’t beaten England at Twickenham since 1983, surely the only way to record that elusive second scalp will be against the Irish at home.

Despite winning their last encounter at Murrayfield 31-21, and losing by just one point before that, Scotland have only beaten Ireland twice this millennium.

While they are not taking major scalps, there is a lot to like about Scotland.

Their forwards and set pieces have been sound, remaining competitive against all comers this season.  Under former All Black Mike Brewer—Scotland’s forwards coach—players such as Nathan Hines and Euan Murray have developed to the point that they are being touted as Lions candidates.

Brewers past association with Leinster will surely have been noted by the Irish brain trust.

But it is the backs that look the threat, spearheaded by the Glasgow midfield of Graeme Morrison and Max Evans.  Add to this Simon Danielli, the Ulster flier who has one of Europe’s best wingers this season, and this is a Scotland side that knows how to attack.

Against France and Wales, Scotland made more line breaks, more attacking runs and off loaded more passes than their opponents. 

But, crucially, they did not score more points.

A team under pressure such as Scotland looks to play the percentages, but it appears that this may not be their natural game.  Playing against a hard-nosed Irish team, they cannot afford to be indecisive. 

If the game breaks open, it will be difficult to predict what will happen.  Man for man, the Irish are more experienced and have more class, but have not looked to freewheel their attack. 

If Scotland can finish their attacks, we could see an upset at Murrayfield.

Scotland vs. Ireland at Murrayfield

HEAD TO HEAD: Ireland 54, Scotland 63, Drawn 5

Last match: Ireland 34 – Scotland 13 at Croke Park

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney (Leinster), 14 Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), 13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), 12 Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), 11 Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), 10 Ronan O'Gara (Munster), 9 Peter Stringer (Munster), 8 Denis Leamy (Munster), 7 David Wallace (Munster), 6 Stephen Ferris (Ulster), 5 Paul O'Connell (Munster), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), 3 John Hayes (Munster), 2 Rory Best (Ulster) , 1 Marcus Horan (Munster).

Replacements: 16 J Flannery (Munster), 17 Tom Court (Ulster), 18 Mick O'Driscoll (Leinster), 19 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), 20 Tomas O'Leary (Munster), 21 Paddy Wallace (Ulster), 22 Geordan Murphy (Leicester).

Scotland: 15 C Paterson (Edinburgh), 14 S Danielli (Ulster), 13 M Evans (Glasgow), 12 G Morrison (Glasgow), 11 T Evans (Glasgow), 10 P Godman (Edinburgh), 9 M Blair (Edinburgh, capt), 1 A Dickinson (Gloucester), 2 R Ford (Edinburgh), 3 E Murray (Northampton), 4 J White (Sale), 5 J Hamilton (Edinburgh), 6 A Strokosch (Gloucester)
8 S Taylor (Stade Francais), 7 J Barclay (Glasgow)

Replacements: D Hall (Glasgow), M Low (Glasgow), N Hines (Perpignan), S Gray (Northampton), C Cusiter (Perpignan), N De Luca (Edinburgh), H Southwell (Edinburgh)

An Irish Grand Slam—they are heady words indeed for any Irishman. Only once has the team from the Emerald Isles had the privilege, and that was back in 1948. 

With the exception of Italy, every team in the Six Nations has amassed many more of what is arguably Europe’s greatest accolade. 

Current champions Wales have achieved it 10 times and even Scotland has three, but Ireland has been agonisingly close in recent years.

In 2006 and 2007, only losses to France and an inferior points difference cost them the Slam. In 2003 and 2004, again solitary losses stood between Ireland and the European double of a Six Nations championship and Grand Slam.

Five times in the last eight years this talented Irish team has fallen at the final hurdle, but this year their perennial conquerors of such ambitions have been vanquished. 

Victories over France and England in this championship again have Ireland on the verge of history. But when reflecting on the past, one cannot help but wonder if Ireland approach Murrayfield with nervous anticipation. 

In 2001, after winning their first four matches, they arrived in Edinburgh only needing to defeat Scotland to take the title and Slam.

In the previous year, Ireland had finally beaten Scotland, halting a 13-match losing streak stretching back to 1989. 

Just as the Irish were beginning to evolve into arguably the finest side to wear the famous green, a fierce Scottish team hammered them 32-10 in what has been termed "the foot and mouth fumble."

Ireland has lost only once to Scotland since that match in September 2001, and is on a seven-match winning streak against them in Six Nations matches.

Some might think that this is the last chance saloon for Ireland, but under Coach Declan Kidney they appear to be growing in mental strength. 

For a long time, this Irish team has had the players to compete with the best in the world, but there seemed to be steel that was talked but not so often walked.

In a sense, Ireland had become the chokers of world rugby.

When it comes to character-defining achievements, it is apt to look at the other demon that Ireland has struggled to conquer outside of the Six Nations.

The demon of a team clad in Black.

The All Blacks remain the only team in world rugby that the Irish have not beaten, and in reality they should have done it in recent years. 

While they have ushered some fearsome hidings to Ireland in their 22 clashes, New Zealand were in positions to lose at home in both matches in 2006 and in 2008.

But despite the confidence that has permeated the Irish camp, they could never seal the deal. In a sense, they never really believed.

No doubt Scotland and Wales, who will be hosting the Irish, will present formidable opposition to the Grand Slammers elect.

Ireland has the arsenal to defeat both of these teams. Their old guard, their veteran division, is in fine touch, led by Brian O’Driscoll, who is having his best season in years. 

Equally the rising of the next generation, highlighted by Rob Kearney and Stephen Ferris, ensures that Irish rugby is in good health, buttressed by the might of provinces such as Leinster and Munster.

It is insulting to say that Scotland and Wales are mere road bumps, but again, one feels that the only ones to defeat the Irish will be themselves.

Frank Hadden has announced a largely unchanged Scotland rugby team to face Ireland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Scotland: Chris Paterson, Simon Danielli, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison, Thom Evans, Phil Godman, Mike Blair (Captain), Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Euan Murray, Locks x2 (from: Jim Hamilton, Nathan Hines, Alastair Kellock and Jason White), Alasdair Strokosch, John Barclay, Simon Taylor

Replacements: Dougie Hall, Moray Low, 18 TBC, Scott Gray, Chris Cusiter, TBC, Hugo Southwell

As expected, Mossy gets the shout at 15, while Dickinson comes in for Chunk in a 1-for-1 swap—although they do represent two different types of one. He’s held off on the lock selection to see how training goes this week.

We’re all hoping Hines is fit (see my post below from earlier), so that affects the selection on the bench too. Interestingly, the other bench slot held by De Luca last week seems like it may be being held open until after fitness tests, for Rory Lamont perhaps?

Meanwhile, Ireland has announced a team with four changes including Stringer and D’Arcy in—plenty of experience there but if it was a choice between Stringer and either of our scrum-halves, I know which one I’d pick.

Strangely, in-form eight Jamie Heaslip has been dropped to the bench. Is Kidney picking a team to target specific areas, having previously picked the same starters in the last three? Or is he penalising their sluggish performance against England?

Ireland: Kearney; Bowe, O’Driscoll, D’Arcy, Fitzgerald; O’Gara, Stringer; Horan, Best, Hayes; O’Callaghan, O’Connell; Ferris, D Wallace, Leamy.

Replacements: Murphy, Wallace, O’Leary, Court, Flannery, O’Driscoll, Heaslip.

For many at the Bleacher Report the name Bernard Dunne (27-1) will mean very little. For some boxing enthusiasts it will sound vaguely familiar (Dunne launched his professional career out of Freddie Roach's Wild Card stable, winning his first 14 bouts in the US).

For the Irish, however, Bernard's name has become synonymous with the sweet science itself. And on March 21st he will put that public's aspirations on the line by challenging Ricardo Cordoba's (34-1-2) WBA Super Bantamweight title at the O2 Arena, Dublin.

Born in Neilstown, Dublin, Bernard Dunne followed in his father's footsteps and began boxing as a schoolboy. He built up a solid amateur record (119-11) but having failed to make Ireland's squad for the Sydney Olympics he relocated to California, turning pro in 2001.

Receiving praise from worthy sparring partners such as Shane Mosley and James Toney, Bernard showcased his talents on the likes of ESPN before returning to Ireland in 2005.

He quickly built up a strong following, winning Esham Pickering's EBU Super Bantamweight title in 2006. His likable persona and slick style allowed him to capitalise on a reemerging public interest in the sport.

However, in 2007, his dreams of bringing a world title home were crushed when he was brutally KO'd in the first-round by Spain's Kiko Martinez.

With his upcoming fight against Panama's Ricardo Cordoba that dream has been resurrected.

In his own words: “This is what I’ve dreamed about and I suppose what the Irish people have wanted since I came home from America. Now we are getting the chance to test ourselves against one of the best super-bantamweights in the world.”

It may also be worthwhile noting that prior to defeating Esham Pickering for the EBU title Dunne commented, "He [Pickering] is at the age, 30 years of age, that he needs this kind of fight to put himself back into the big picture. And I need it to launch myself into the big picture."

It is hardly necessary to point out that at 29 Dunne now finds himself in the latter's shoes against Cordoba.

Yet despite being the underdog there are two things going for the Dubliner in this fight.

The first are his speed, footwork and a pliable left hook. Even during his dullest bouts he has displayed these admirably (such as his recent performance against Argentina's Damian David Marchiano).

Were he to tighten up his defence and put some capacity into the right by sitting down more on his punches, it is not far-fetched to see Dunne pulling off a surprise.

The second thing standing for him is his opponent. Of all the routes to a world title, Cordoba perhaps offers himself up as the most manageable. His fighting record outside of Panama is poor (two draws in Germany, a loss in Thailand) and he inherited the WBA title by way of an interim bout after fellow countryman Celestino Cabellero won the IBF crown to unify the belts late last year.

Nevertheless Dunne will not underestimate his opponent. Cordoba will be determined to get by Dunne, for it would likely mean a shot at Caballero's unified titles (Ricardo defeated Caballero by unanimous decision in 2004).

Furthermore Bernard tends to carry his left hand low and the Panamanian's southpaw style will exploit this. He will also likely try to draw the Irishman into pushing forward early on, a trait Freddie Roach noted when he urged Dunne to “get it through his thick skull” that he should use his speed and move from side to side a la Manny Pacquiao.

In preparation for this fight Dunne has set up a nine-week training camp in Belfast. There he is tackling the southpaw style (“Everything will be southpaw orientated,” he recently told irish-boxing.com) and developing his strength through an intensive weight and dietary routine.

“The sessions are draining and intense but there hasn't been a day yet I don't look forward to going into the gym,” he said. “This is the fight my whole career has been building to so there'll definitely be an extra edge to me for this one.”

Dunne will need that extra edge at the O2 Arena as he fights before 10,000 expectant Irish fans.

The bill will be a historic one for Irish sport, showcasing the island's boxing talent from both the professional and amateur ranks. Thus we will find Ireland's Olympic medallists Kenny Egan and Paddy Barnes fighting alongside rising pro talents Andrew Murray and Michael Kelly.

With a legion of fans and the right training behind him, Dunne is more than capable of producing a world class performance. But as A. J. Liebling, that dandified sage of the New York Prize Ring, once remarked, "A boxer, like a writer, must stand alone."

Dunne's public and world boxing fans will have to wait until Mar. 21 to see if the Dubliner has what it takes to do so.

Scotland 26 - 6 Italy

Yesterday we saw Scotland beat Italy.

They were led largely by the efforts of a man with an Italian name over whom many, including myself, have been guilty of indifference to in the past. For those watching on TV, they heard him be commented on by another man with an Italian name, who many of us have no doubt has been gulity of downright antipathy towards in the past.

Twin heroes of the day, Simon Danielli and Lawrence Dallaglio. We will get to Lol later. But, first let us talk, as we must, of Scotland.

We saw a fair bit less ineptitude in the basic skills than against France and almost a different team to the one that failed to turn up against Wales. The good thing was the way Scotland maintained the cutting edge and better support lines they had found at times in Paris, while chopping out some of the sloppy tackling and handling.

But for a yard of pace, or a pass inside, Danielli would have had a second try, and he more than made up for his knock-on a fortnight ago. With every performance, he is cementing his ownership of the shirt and the same could be said of both Evans boys.

Even with a hesitant interception thrown by Southwell, we now had the pace to recover the breakaway runner where two years ago we did not.

Max or Thom did not get nearly enough ball, while Southwell got too much and kicked much of it away. Having found a storming running game for Edinburgh, he seems to have lost it again and kicked too much, often poorly.

I think Paterson has earned his chance to start at full back against Ireland. We will need his boot, which allows Godman to concentrate on the Ireland back row that will be charging down his channel.

Speaking of changes, what about Chris Cusiter starting?

I am a huge fan of Blair, who has been talked up a lot for the Lions. But Cusiter has looked the sharper of the two with every game since Blair seems to go a little off the boil.

Sly hunch of the day: Cusiter with an outside chance of a slot on the Lions tour?

I just have a feeling he could be coming on to form at the right time and would like to see him get more of a chance to show this.

Up front, Euan Murray and Ally Kellock restored a bit of nous to the scrum and lineout, and should be definite starters in two weeks. Provided his fitness is okay, Murray is only going to improve from here.

There is something to be said for playing both Hamilton and Kellock to give real power in the set piece against Ireland. Alisdair Dickinson was much criticized in recent weeks for his scrum performances, but the Italy game allowed him to show that the set-piece is not necessarily the best showcase for his talents.

With Jacobsen injured, Dickinson should slot into his preferred No. 1 shirt for the next game and give us a few more barnstorming runs.

The back row of Strokosch, Barclay, and Taylor looked solid and settled.

Taylor and the big Stroker had vastly improved games with the ball in hand. Strokosch set the tempo with strong early running, while the defense and breakdown were solidly patrolled as we are coming to expect. And we will expect it to continue.

The one exception to any attempts at marshalling was Sergio Parisse, who seemed to do exactly what he wanted whenever he wanted in just about every area of the pitch, legally too. His performance was quite simply stupendous. Making one think you won’t see Taylor in the Stade No. 8 shirt any time soon.

Stroker handed him his Man of the Match award last year. Only for the scoreline yesterday, Parisse would almost have deserved Danielli’s award too.

While it was at times a very loose and scrappy game, Scotland showed enough style with their two well taken tries, the second involving almost the entire backline, to give us a little hope for the coming games.

More hope would have been given on watching the very poor Ireland versus England game. You almost feel sorry for Martin Johnson, who is struggling to build a team who just do not seem to all want to play on the park at the same time. 14 seems to be their preferred number.

A grimly determined, but overly negative performance towards the end and an undeserved near victory stopped us from overtaking them on points difference.

But you wonder where England go from here. Up, I suppose may be the only way. One thing is for sure, they need a new captain.

Speaking of former England captains, kudos must unfortunately go to the BBC too for unearthing a decent pundit to be the token “Italian” during coverage, one Mr. Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio. Undoubtedly a figure of fear and loathing for many Scots, for the most part irrationally, Dallaglio and Scotland’s own Andrew Cotter offered a great balance of wit, insight and objectivity in their match commentary yesterday.

It was a breath of fresh air compared to the back-biting ramblings of Moore and Butler, which have now descended into some sort of idiotic sideshow all of their own. Or the pro-Welsh carping of Jonathan Davies, who was on Friday coupled with Nick Mullins who seemed to think Vincent Clerc was on the pitch for France, not in the 22.

We will have a full school report on the pundits post-tournament. But for now, I know who I would rather listen to. I never thought I would say it was a man named Dallaglio.

Meanwhile Ireland have found their captain again, with Brian O’ Driscoll looking almost back to his pre-2005 form. Possibly minus a little bit of pace and plus a slight concussion, but with that important little bit of magic intact. It is a good job, as Ronan O’Gara had one of his notorious off days and it seemed to spread throughout the rest of his team.

Despite the extremely dangerous Irish back row, who Scotland will have to keep a very close eye on, yesterday gave only a slight indication of the damage they could do.

Ireland looked a little rattled by the pressure of leading the tournament. Post match, Keith Wood said Irish coach Declan Kidney would do his utmost to install Ireland as underdogs in a couple of weeks.

This is patently ridiculous, you can see his point.

Neither of ours is a nation that likes to lead from the front, seemingly preferring the mantle of scrappy outsiders. Ireland are on course for a grand slam and so must be the clear favourites, even away from home.

However, make no mistake, if Scotland can keep building their level of performance, they could beat both Ireland and England.

Since shirt numbers were introduced to world football, there have been those that have been reserved for extra special players.

The No. 10 is the shirt of choice for the playmaker—Maradona and Pele the most famous. In recent years, Paolo Maldini's excellence at left-back for both AC Milan and Italy has added the No. 3 to the roll call of iconic shirt numbers.

However, one that stands out as perhaps the most famous is the No. 7.

Say "No. 7" to any Manchester United fan and they will reply "Eric Cantona." Ask the same question to any Arsenal fan and they will reply "Liam Brady."

Throughout football history there have been those players who stood on the brink of greatness and the former Arsenal and Republic of Ireland player is certainly amongst them.

Brady — The Beginning

Liam Brady was born in a gloomy Dublin on the 13 February 1956.

From an early age, the young Brady showed extreme skill with the ball and as a child he played for two Dublin sides — St.Kevin's Boys and Home Farm.

His deft touches and killer left foot didn't go unnoticed and in 1970 at the age of 14 he moved to London to join Arsenal on schoolboy terms.

Brady — Arsenal Career: The Makings of a Legend

In 1974, at the age of 17, Brady signed his first professional contract with the North London side.

Brady was given his first team debut by then Arsenal manager Bertie Mee, however it was under the guidance of Terry Neill and Don Howe that the Irishman really shone.

At the time, the Gunners were often hovering around the relegation zone—although never demoted—and were viewed as more a cup team.

Between 1978 and 1980, Arsenal reached the FA Cup final on three successive occasions, emerging victorious in 1979 where they defeated Manchester United. It was Brady who started the wheels in motions for the winning goal scored by Alan Sunderland.

It was to be the only trophy Brady ever won at Arsenal as a player.

Brady's skills shone through at Highbury and he was voted the club's player of the season three years running while also scooping the PFA Player of the Year in 1979.

In the 1979-1980 season, Arsenal went on a great European run only to be defeated by Valencia on penalties in the final of the Cup Winners Cup.

However, it was the semi-final of this competition that would prove more important for Brady as a player. Over two legs, Arsenal came out on top of a powerful Juventus side on a 1-0 scoreline.

So impressed were the Italians by the Irishman they bought him at the end of the season for just over £500,000.

The move was not greeted kindly by fans of the Highbury side with no team wanting their best players to leave. It is said that Brady left as Arsenal were not challenging for enough domestic titles.

Despite the slightly contentious ending, Brady is fondly remembered as an Arsenal player. His ability to create space where there was none and his deft passes and goals made him a firm fans favourite.

Some of his most beautiful goals came against bitter North London rivals, Spurs.

On occasion all you could do was stop and just look at that!

Even when he had left Arsenal he was still tormenting the Spurs defence. Long time Arsenal fan Raddy remembers fondly the Ossie Ardiles Testimonial played at White Hart Lane in the 1985-1986 season when an Inter Milan team featuring Brady took on Spurs.

Spurs started with a midfield of Ardiles, Maradona, Hoddle and Waddle but a number of Arsenal fans went with only one player in mind:

"It was a sell out of course, and I have to say that Hoddle and Maradona set up the best goal I have seen in my life — the ball never touched the ground from a throw out from the keeper until it hit the back of the Inter net … magic.

 

Needless to say, the morons booed everytime Liam got the ball. But midway through the second half he picked up the ball on the left wing, cut inside and smacked a screamer past the hapless Spurs keeper — Pat Jennings.

 

Then thousands of Gooners who had gone just to watch Liam went mental, and Liam celebrated as though he had scored the winner in the CL final.

 

It is still my favourite memory of him — even when he wasn’t playing for us it gave him the greatest pleasure to stuff it up the Spuds."

Between 1973-1980, Liam Brady played 235 times for Arsenal, scoring 43 goals and setting up many more.

He was recently voted Arsenal's eighth greatest player by Arsenal fans on Arsenal.com.

Brady — Life After Arsenal

He would move to Italy for five years before returning to England to see out his playing career with West Ham United.

From 1980-1982, Brady enjoyed a relatively successful time in Turin where he won two Serie A titles while scoring 15 goals in 76 games for Bianconeri. Despite his good form in 1982, Chippy was sold to Sampordia by then manager Giovanni Trapattoni to make way for the arrival of Michel Platini. It was not the last time Brady and Trapattoni would cross paths.

From Sampordia, the Irishman played for Inter Milan and Ascoli respectively before ending his playing career with West Ham. Liam Brady last graced a football field in 1990.

Brady — The Irish International

Liam Brady's Irish career never quite reached the heights of his club career.

Between 1974-1990, Brady played for the Republic of Ireland 72 times scoring on 9 occasions.

Brady became another world class player that would never get to grace the international stage in a major competition. He missed Ireland's first ever European Championship in 1988 through a mixture of suspension and injury.

During qualification for Italia 90 Brady retired from the international game. Once Ireland qualified he un-retired himself however manager Jack Charlton decided that those who'd played in the qualifiers deserved to go to Italy.

Liam Brady was left to watch Ireland's march to the quarter finals from the stands.

Brady — The Manager

Sadly this will be quite a short section.

The success Brady had on the pitch with Arsenal and Juventus amongst others was never transferred over to his time as a first team manager with the Irishman enjoying unsuccessful periods with Brighton & Hove Albion and Glasgow giants Celtic.

Chippy's stint at club management from 1991-1995 was overshadowed in both cases by financial problems at both clubs.

Brady — The Media Man

In recent years, Liam Brady became better known in Ireland as one member of Bill O'Herlihy and his three amigos pundit panel on Irish television channel RTE.

Joining former players Johnny Giles and Eamon Dunphy, the three were renowned for not pulling any punches and on many occasions things got extremely heated in the studio.

Regardless of whether it was the Republic of Ireland, England, Liverpool or Real Madrid playing, the panel never held back and said it as they saw it.

The most famous episode regarding Brady came only last year as his time as a pundit was coming to an end.

Following Arsenal's loss to Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, events got quite heated in the studio between Brady and Dunphy as O'Herlihy and Souness tried to act as mediators.

All the aggrevation was caused by the ever controversial Eamon Dunphy comparing Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to Fawlty Towers' actor John Cleese.

Brady was deeply angered by what he saw as cheap journalism and a cheap shot at the Frenchman and stated he would not have appeared had he known that sequence of clips was "in the can" to which Dunphy retorted the now immortal line "you jumped over the fence baby" clearly suggesting that Brady had left club ties get in the way of objectivity.

Over the following weeks Dunphy seemed to back down on his stance on Wenger, even suggesting at one stage that Arsenal were cheated out of a penalty at the Emirates as the referee was Dutch and that is why he did not punish Kuyt's rugby tackle on Hleb.

In 2008 Liam Brady had to step down from the RTE Panel as he took up his role as the Rep.Ireland's assistant manager.

Brady — Where is he now?

Following his unsuccessful stints as manager of Brighton and Celtic, Brady returned to his first love in North London to oversee the new Arsenal Academy.

In July 1996, he became the Head of Youth Development and Academy Director and has remained there ever since. Under Brady, Arsenal's youth sides have won the FA Premier Youth League in 1997-98, the FA Premier Academy League U17 title in 2001-'02, the FA Youth Cup in 1999-'00 and 2000-'01 and the FA Premier Academy League U19 title in 2001-'02.

In 2007, Liam Brady became heavily linked with the Irish managerial job following the disappointing reign of former player Steven Staunton.

The vacant seat was instead taken by Italian legend Giovanni Trapattoni—the man who had sold Brady whilst at Juventus—with Brady becoming his assistant alongside Marco Tardelli.

Arsene Wenger gave the Irishman permission to take up his role with the Irish squad as long as it did not impact on his role at Arsenal.

Thus Liam Brady's career has gone full circle. He is back at the club where it all started for him, working with the Italian manager who bought and sold him at Juventus while doing a service for his country.

For Liam "Chippy" Brady, it seems its always going to be Cannons and Shamrocks.

The biggest sporting story in the world this year took place last Thursday at the press conference for the Amgen Cycling Tour of California. Lance Armstrong, cycling's greatest ever athlete, was fielding questions from the media when an Irish journalist from the Sunday Times asked him a question.

Having rehearsed this answer many times in knowing which question was coming, Armstrong reprimanded the journalist in an amazing exchange between the two.

The question from Paul Kimmage that gave rise to Armstrong's meticulously prepared answer was about why Armstrong was welcoming back cyclists who had been proven to be cheats, or dopers.

After asking, "What is it about these dopers you seem to admire so much?", Armstrong rounded on Kimmage by stating, "You are not worth the chair that you're sitting on."

Armstrong turned the tables on Kimmage, blasting the reporter over comments Kimmage made during a Irish radio interview last year, calling Armstrong "The cancer in this sport. For two years, this sport has been in remission. And now, the cancer's back," Kimmage said in the September 2008 interview.

After recognizing Kimmage, Armstrong—who survived testicular cancer in 1996—went on the offensive.

"I'm here to fight this disease," Armstrong said. "You are not worth the chair that you're sitting on with a statement like that with a disease that touches everybody around the world."

Kimmage said he had asked for an interview with Armstrong, but was refused.

"I think it goes without saying, no, we're not going to sit down and do an interview. And I don't think anybody in this room would sit down for that interview," Armstrong said.

Armstrong has portrayed himself as the innocent in this exchange but even here he is being disingenuous.

In refusing Kimmage's advances for an interview Armstrong infers that the interview request was made after the statement by Kimmage, in fact the request was made months before the interview and knowing exactly who Kimmage was and is, Armstrong rejected the interview.

The main problem that Kimmage—and indeed many of the worlds fans and journalists—have with Armstrong is that Armstrong portrays himself as a man who went on to achieve greatness after recovering from testicular cancer.

He has deluded many into thinking that if Lance can beat cancer and go on to become one of the world's premier athletes, then so can they.

What he has failed to do is dispel the stories and rumours about him and his alleged steroid abuse. Almost every Tour De France winner—or second, third, fourth or fifth placed rider, etc.—over the last 15 years has been proven to have doped.

Everyone except Lance.

When the questions were really beginning to bite and come home to roost and his innocence was being questioned at every turn he chose to retire, after winning the Tour seven times in a row.

No other cyclist in the sports history with or without drugs was able to achieve what Lance Armstrong achieved in seven remarkable seasons—after overcoming cancer.

The questions on Armstrong's innocence and alleged use have always been there, but this was the first time that a journalist actually confronted the man.

But who is Kimmage? What right does he have to question Armstrong?

Paul Kimmage was a professional cyclist who represented his country in the World Youth Championships where he finished sixth in 1986. Then after going professional, he began to find that many cyclists he was beating in his amateur days were now leaving him for dust.

The reason was steroids. Devastated by this, Kimmage eventually retired and became a journalist. His first book—Rough Ride—won the Sports Book of the Year in 1990 and is a must read for fans of any sport.

Initially ridiculed by many within cycling that systematic steroid abuse could not take place, Kimmage was eventually vindicated as the Tour De France in 1998 became mired in one of the world's biggest drug scandals of all time.

The Festina and TVM teams were found not only to be turning a blind eye to the doping, but were actually found to be facilitating it.

It's eventual winner Marco Pantani died in 2004 from a cocaine overdose after years of systematic steroid abuse.

Armstrong has feigned innocence throughout, and in Thursday's press conference he turned Kimmage's euphemisms against him and portrayed the Irishman as the villain in the piece.

The ex-Tour champion referred to a quote from the interview, and then twisted Kimmage's words into something they were not.

The quote in question was:

"This guy, any other way but his bullying and intimidation wrapped up in this great cloak, the great cancer martyr…this is what he hides behind all the time. The great man who conquered cancer. Well he is the cancer in this sport. And for two years this sport has been in remission. And now the cancer’s back."

Kimmage knew exactly how Armstrong would greet him. He flew half way around the world to ask him that single question. A question that has never been asked of Lance out loud.

Many American newspapers ran with stories on how brave Lance fought off the idiotic questions from a fool.

And if you read through blogs and search websites all over the world the reality is a little different. Kimmage has many believers, and Armstrong is not a well regarded as he might imagine.

I see it a little different. To me Kimmage is the brave one, not Armstrong.

It took a lot of courage to fly halfway around the world to confront cycling's biggest enigma. To confront a man who is the face of one of the world's major charities.

Sometimes journalists are as brave as the people they write about. Sometimes they are the ones that have to go that extra step, to reveal the dark ugly side of the sport they love. They don't do it out of vengeance, they do it out of love. In the hope that their small action can bring back the beauty of the sport they love so much.

Kimmage has taken a stance against the charlatan, it's another step on the road in the redemption of a sport that was once beautiful

To see the exchange between Armstrong and Kimmage click here.

Here is a full transcription of the radio interview that Kimmage gave in 2008.

"My reaction...the enthusiasm that I had built up about the sport in the last couple of years has been all but completely wiped out in the last couple of hours.

"Let’s turn the clock back to Armstrong’s last apparition in the sport. The Tour de France 2005. He’s standing on the podium. And he makes this big impassioned speech. Which is basically saying ‘The last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics, the skeptics: I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry you can’t dream big. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles.’

"That was 2005, his last ride in the the Tour de France. And the people flanking him on that podium were Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich. And a month after that race ended the French newspaper L’Equipe reported that in his first winning Tour de France, in 1999, Armstrong had tested positive for EPO. Six separate samples taken during that race revealed positive tests for EPO.

"This return, he wants us to believe that it’s all about saving the world from cancer. That’s complete bullshit. It’s about revenge. It’s about ego. It’s about Lance Armstrong.

"I think he’s trying to rewrite his exit from the sport. He’s sat back and he’s watched the last two years and he cannot stand the idea that there are clean cyclists now that will overtake his legacy and bury the memory of all the crap that he put the sport through.

"When I heard it being mooted first that he was coming back, I thought well that’s fine, because the first thing ASO are going to say is ‘sorry Lance, we’ve seen your results from the 1999 tests, you’re not coming back.’

"I expected a similar statement from Pat McQuaid. What’s happened instead is that Christian Prudhomme has said ‘Yes, you can come back, no problem.’ And Pat McQiad has said ‘I really admire this man, he’s a tremendous ambassador for cycling.’ What we’re getting here is the corporate dollars and the money that’s going to accompany this guy back into the game.

"The money that’s going to bring for Nike, one of the big sponsors of the Tour. And for the UCI, who have been experiencing some serious problems in the last couple of years.

Much as you want to say the sport has changed, as quickly as they can change their own opinions—McQuaid, who says one thing in private and quite the opposite in public, and Prudhomme—if they can change so quickly then I’m sorry, it’s really very, very difficult to have any optimism with regard to Armstrong and the way the sport was moving forward.

"For me, if he comes back next year, the sport takes two steps back.

"I spent the whole Tour this year with Slipstream, the Garmin team. That wasn’t by accident. I chose that team deliberately, because of what they were saying about the sport and the message they were putting out.

"But also the fact that so many of that team had raced with Armstrong during his best years and knew exactly what he got up to. And the stuff that I learnt on that Tour about him and what he was really like was absolutely shocking, really shocking.

"What’s going to happen now is he comes back and everybody’s going to wave their hands in the air and give him a big clap. And all the guys who really know what he’s about are going to feel so utterly and totally depressed.

"And I’m talking about Jonathan Vaughters, who raced with Armstrong that first winning Tour and who doped. And if you look at that Tour, Armstrong’s first win, there were seven Americans on that team. Frankie Andreu has said he used EPO. Tyler Hamilton has been done for [blood doping]. George Hincapie was exposed as a doper by Emma O’Reilly, the team soigneur.

"Christian Vand Velde and Jonathan Vaughters...both are members of Slipstream and would promote the notion that this was not a clean team by any means. When you look at that and what Armstrong’s done and how he’s seemingly got away with it, it just makes his come back very hard to stomach.

"Astana’s the absolute perfect team for him. He’d be renewing his old acquaintance with Bruyneel, who wanted to hire Basso last year. Will he be renewing his old acquaintance with Ferrari, the famous doctor? Will Bruyneel be taking pictures of the questioning journalists and pinning them on the side of his bus?

"When Armstrong talks about transparency, this is the greatest laugh. When he talks about embracing this new transparency...I’m really looking forward to that. I’m really looking forward to my first interview request with him and seeing how that comes back. Because that would really make it interesting.

"This guy, any other way but his bullying and intimidation wrapped up in this great cloak, the great cancer martyr…this is what he hides behind all the time. The great man who conquered cancer. Well he is the cancer in this sport. And for two years this sport has been in remission. And now the cancer’s back."

Part of the reason for the ugliness of adults, in a child’s eyes, is that the child is usually looking upwards, and few faces are at their best when seen from below.

- George Orwell, ‘Such, Such were the joys’

On a wet and windy evening, two old adversaries went at each other, tooth and nail, in the romantic backdrop of Cagliari.

Packie Bonner (whom I met recently) punts the ball down field with familiar gusto, his arms flailing involuntarily as he goes to ground: a ritual resembling something halfway between a swallow dive and a convulsion.

A slightly perturbed Bobby Robson looks on disdainfully from his dugout, rooted to his seat. Big Jack looms increasingly obstreperous on the touchline, sensing a comeback.

The ball: aimed towards the human tower that is Tony Cascarino, and not for the first time, is met by Butcher, but it drops to Sheedy, who never really gets hold of it and it runs on to second half substitute McMahon.

Macca CAN’T control as Sheedy seizes on his hesitance and fires an unstoppable trademark left foot shot past an aging Peter Shilton.

Jack’s intuition was right, Bobby’s hunch fully warranted. The Irish were back in it, and everyone, including my father, went wild.

Look at the Irish. They sing and none of them know the words. Jack sings, and all he knows is "Blaydon Races" and "Cushy Butterfield". But look at the pride they have in those green shirts.

-Lawrie McMenemy

It was blatantly obvious how much it meant to everyone connected with the Irish national team, and against England it showed. Both England and Ireland would go on to taste unprecedented success during Italia 90: the Irish reaching the quarters (their best ever performance in a World Cup), England coming within a whisker of the final.

It was deemed the most negative, cynical tournaments of them all (due to its lowest ever goal tally and most games decided on the unjustly penalty shoot-out); yet, both nations captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. The joy and happiness which emanated from their performances and merits was immeasurable, the exploits of both teams in Italy, who at the time were highly criticized in the press, will never be forgotten.

In light of recent events at Stoke City, and antipathy they’ve been faced with, I took a retrospective glance at football, to gain some much-needed perspective on the whole "winning ugly" versus "attractive football" debate. 

In so many ways, Stoke remind me of Big Jack’s Republic of Ireland during Italia 90, whose much-scrutinized long ball tactics brought them unfathomable successes, exulting Jack Charlton to national treasure status here in Ireland.

If stories are to be believed, his popularity is such, he has the freedom of this beauteous country; fishing, golfing, and drinking for nowt, in some of the finest spots it has to offer (What was Paul Jewell thinking?).

Allegedly, since taking the Irish job, the canny Northumberlander has yet to meet the price of a pint, as publicans nationwide wouldn’t hear of charging the great man. The endless yarns of how Jack endeared himself to the Irish you never tire of hearing, the stories have now become stuff of legend.

It is widely perceived, at the height of his fame, Jackie would offer to buy the whole pub a round of drinks, insisting he paid by cheque, knowing full well it would never be cashed, and that it would be framed and hung on the wall; where it still hangs to this day.  

There is no doubt Charlton was and is a man of extraordinary character, and his idiosyncrasies sat well with the Irish public. But what Jack Charlton did for Irish football, in terms of achievement, cannot be underestimated, as he took football from the dark depths and relative obscurity of the back pages, and shoved it firmly into the forefront of the nation’s psyche.

Pulis and Stoke City (better known for their participation in petty lower league football violence in recent years) are going about achieving something similar. And I have to say, despite my grievances in the past, as long as we are competitive in the top division, I couldn’t give a monkeys whether we play pretty football or not.

Even if it means no chances in an away trip to Wigan, and subsequently, we get shown last each week on Match of the Day 2; a result, as Steve McLaren so eloquently pointed out recently, certainly is a result (well done for enlightening us all Steve).

In the current financial climate, needs must, and what is best for this club and its people indubitably takes precedence over anything else. Yes, Stoke City are bringing out the utilitarian in me, just as Big Jack did in so many of us, all those years ago. If Delap’s throw is to be judged by the happiness generated by its outcome, then there is no question of its value to the modern world of football.

As a writer from the Daily Express expertly put it, he did not enjoy seeing the kind of football Stoke are currently producing, nevertheless, he wishes they stay in this division for years to come, and be able to buy the kind of players capable of producing some quality and innovative attacking football.

I think his sentiments are echoed by most of us. But we can only play with what is in our armoury; and a decent goalkeeper, four dogged centre-halves (camped on the edge of our own penalty box), four strong defensive and combative central midfielders (sitting just in front of our defenders), a big strong defensive-minded attacker (playing anywhere other than attack), and Ricardo Fuller (though not now due to his shoulder injury), is, unfortunately, what we’ve got. 

Throw Delap into the mix and the impressive starts new signings Etherington and Beattie have made, and so far, this impenetrable approach, seems to be working.

It is well documented that Big Jack’s Ireland relied heavily on their physical weaponry, yet—Dunphy aside—they received nothing but praise and admiration. They put the balls into the channels, passes were never made in field (in case of interception and vulnerability to the counter-attack), and he infamously favored great lumps of men both in defense and in attack. 

Fancy football mattered little to Jackie, and to say he liked his players getting stuck in is litotes at its finest (listening to Aldridge describe how he went all out to cripple Romanian genius Hagi for "the lads", knowing an injury had cut short his own involvement, is shamelessly hilarious).

If fouling was for the good of the team, then Jack saw nothing wrong with it.

Not only was Jack Charlton a man of immense personality, but he was also a born winner, both as a player and as a manager. But as a manager, like Pulis, he was a pragmatist and his teams rarely gave away soft goals. In fact, he claims, when his first choice centre-back pairing of Mick McCarthy and Kevin Moran played together, his side never conceded from a set piece or header.

Ireland only scored one more goal from open play after that thunderbolt from Sheedy, and Quinny’s goal (Watch This) versus the Dutch couldn’t possibly have been more route-one. Yet, their run in the tournament did more for the popularity of soccer in Ireland than anything before or since, and elevated Charlton and his players to iconic status in football.

Pulis and his troops should be vaunted likewise.

My point is this: if you are successful, nobody cares how you go about it. Furthermore, nobody remembers teams who play great football and win nothing. Crewe have always played good football, so does every team in Holland (apart from FC Twente, despite McLaren’s best efforts to acclimatize—Watch This) and of course there’s Wenger’s latest crop at Arsenal, whom in spite of playing some sumptuous football at times, will be regular nobodies if they don’t win something.

The great Argentine footballer and philosopher, Jorge Valdano, suggests football is a metaphor for the time and place you are playing in. He who does not agree with the evolution of football does not believe in the evolution of the world.

Many see the way Stoke play as counter-productive and stagnant, but for me, they reflect an increasingly cautious society now in consolidation. We are not all as fortunate as the Arsenals of this world and we have to play with the tools we’ve been given.

In the words of Aristotle: The best choice for each individual is the highest it is possible for him to achieve. Stoke are doing just that, and in the process, they are restoring pride and harmony to the much-suffered place they call the Potteries.

The happiness Italia 90 aroused in me cannot be articulated. The effervescent memories it evokes are incomparable. If Stoke come within an iota of stirring up such intangible emotion, bringing happiness into the lives of thousands, even if they do play route-one football, then who is to be begrudging of that?

If Pulis, and Stoke fans alike, need ridding of such compunction, seek assurances that this teams' tactics are justified, then, they needn’t look further than "Big Jack" and his Republic.

And if anyone locates him, in the serenity of his Irish retreat; eating freshly caught trout on the banks of a scenic lough, supping on a creamy, ultimately free, pint of Guinness, then I think they will have found their answer.

This Article also features on The English Football Post

When the FAI declared Italian Giovanni Trapattoni as the new Republic of Ireland manager little did they know that he has more luck than the Irish themselves.

Last night poor old Georgia were once again on the receiving end of this good luck.

Trapattoni's first slice of luck came in September when Ireland were scheduled to play Georgia in the away fixture in Tiblisi. However, UEFA deemed the country unstable as Russian troops entered South Ossestia and Georgia lost home advantage.

The Georgian FA asked for the ties to be reversed. This way Ireland would host Georgia in September and Georgia would host the Irish in February when hostilities had died down.

As luck would have it for the Irish, Croke Park was unavaibale in September as the All-Ireland hurling and football finals were been played.

It was decided that Georgia would lose their home advantage and the game was played in Mainz, Germany. The Irish went on to win 2-1.

So to last night and a game the Irish were expected to win.

There was a late change as Stephen Kelly came in for the injured Paul McShane at right-back.

It was a terrible comeback to the Irish squad for the Stoke man as his mistake led to Georgia taking the lead with only 44 seconds on the clock.

A run of the mill long ball found its way to Siradze who flicked it on. Kelly showed a complete lack of trust in his left peg and instead of throwing a boot at it left the ball bounce and it made its way towards Iashvili who tucked home.

This was not the way the script had been written.

Trapattoni had sent out a relatively inexperienced central midfield of Stoke's Glenn Whelan and Blackburn's Keith Andrews who was making his senior international competitive debut.

Andrews did have the ball in the Georgian net on 25 minutes but the goal was ruled out for an offside on Reading's Kevin Doyle.

The Irish central duo never got a stranglehold on midfield with Whelan in-particularly guilty of given the ball away needlessly.

Most of the Irish threat came from the two wide men of Duff and McGeady, the Celtic man was most threatening. With the home crowd getting anxious, the Irish upped the ante before half-time with McGeady making a good run through the middle before seeing his shot saved by Lomaia in the Georgian goal.

Ireland left the field at half-time to a few boos and Trapattoni, Tardelli and Brady knew that something different was needed in the second half if the home side were to get the three points so desperately needed to keep in touch with the Italians.

At the start of the second half, Ireland once again had control of most of the ball but with little end product.

Aiden McGeady, Ireland's best player on the night, upped his game on the hour mark and twice went close to levelling matters. However, as the game wore on the crowd were getting increasingly frustrated as it seemed for all Ireland's endeavour, there would be no equaliser.

Then up stepped Finnish referee Jouni Hyytia for his moment in the spotlight in what was his final "big" game as official.

To confusion from both the Irish and Georgian sides, Hyytia awarded a penalty to the boys in green. A long ball found its way to Robbie Keane who seemed to control the ball with his hand only for the referee to let play continue.

The ball was then cleared but only as far as Kevin Doyle as it deflected off the Waterford man and into the path of Ucha Lobjanidze. The referee then gave a shrill blast of his whistle for what appeared to be an offside by Keane.

Instead to everyones surprise, Hyytia pointed to the penalty spot and deemed Lobjanidze to have handled the ball. Replays showed that Keane had handled the ball in the lead-up to this decision and that Keane was also offside as play continued. However, most surprising it also showed that the Georgian's hand had gone nowhere near the football which had hit him if anywhere on his collarbone.

Regardless of what the referee had thought he had seen, Keane did not need to be asked twice and immediately set the ball down on the penalty spot. The Spurs and Irish captain dispatched it with ease and the scores were level.

After that the Georgians seem to lose their way and gave away free-kick after free-kick. Lobjanidze, Menteshasvili and Kvirkvelia all found their way into the referee's notebook.

Six minutes after the bizarre penalty incident, Ireland were ahead.

McGeady swung in a corner and Keane beat off the attentions of Kvirkvelia to head home (via his cheek) and give the home side a one goal advantage.

Trapattoni sacrificed Damien Duff to bring on the more defensive Stephen Hunt in order to close the game out. The Irish did just that much to the relief of the home crowd at Croke Park.

The Republic of Ireland are now joint-top of the group with Italy on ten points however the Italians do have a better goal difference. Trapattoni's men now face a challenging game at home to Bulgaria in the next round of fixtures where a win for the boys in green would surely see the group becoming a straight shootout between Ireland and Italy for qualification for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

So far it seems as if the luck of Trapattoni is having its effect on the Irish. Not having to play in a hostile Georgia and been awarded a phantom penalty at a crucial time in a game both points towards this.

However, Irish fans certainly won't mind how much luck there is involved as long as we are on that plane to South Africa.

Republic of Ireland:

Shay Given (Manchester City) 7 - A quite enough night for Given. Could do little for the goal and anything asked of him he delivered. Good collection at the end to release pressure.

Stephen Kelly (Stoke) 5 - Was at fault for the Georgian goal and lacked match fitness. One to forget.

John O'Shea (Manchester United) 6 - Had a quite night although he played some nice long balls.  

Richard Dunne (Manchester City) 6 - As O'Shea didn't have much to do.

Kevin Kilbane (Hull) 6 - Played his 52nd consecutive game for Ireland. Spent most of his time attacking down the left flank. Didn't offer too much but didn't make any mistakes either.

Aiden McGeady (Hull) 8 - Ireland's man of the match. The Celtic man was a thorn in the side of the Georgians and was unlucky not to have his name on the scoresheet. Assist for Keane's second.

Glenn Whelan (Stoke) 5 - An average performance by Whelan who gave the ball away far too often.

Keith Andrews (Blackburn Rovers) 6 - Was one of Ireland's better players in the first half and was unlucky to see his goal ruled out. Got back to help Stephen Kelly and put in a good shift.

Damien Duff (Newcastle United) 7 - Glimpses of the old Duff was on show at Croke Park last night as the Newcastle man made a few runs to get at the 10 man defence of Georgia.

Kevin Doyle (Reading) 7 - Another good performance by Doyle who worked his socks off for the full 90 minutes. Unlucky that his header in the second half was directed right at the goalkeeper. Deserves to be playing in the Premier League.

Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur) 7 - An average all round performance by the Irish captain who looked a little off the pace. However, he held his nerve to slot home the penalty and battled to score the second goal. Two goals from the Tallaght man and one can't ask for much more than that.

Robbie Keane exclusion from the Liverpool Squad seems bemusing for many fans and critics alike. Against Chelsea, his presence wasn’t necessarily needed, and it seems that he would have taken up a valuable place on the bench.

Many fanatics, me included, thought Keane was brought in to support Fernando Torres up top, but as time wore on, it became obviously recognisable that he could not fit into the Liverpool "offensive structure".

Well, Torres was always going to have that starting berth upfront ahead of Keane. Torres is practically irreplaceable. Keane was brought in. not to replace him, but to support him as one of the attacking three midfielders as he finds it difficult to lead the line. He doesn’t have the discipline or the tolerance to wait for the ball to come to him; he needs to be involved in play. He is endlessly dropping back deep to receive the ball, virtually becoming a part of the midfield. That is not necessarily a criticism, his youthful exuberance is a joy to watch, but his style does not suit the lone role up-front where Torres excels.

If Steven Gerrard were to be injured, it would be expected that Keane would slot into his position as both players use similar areas to receive the ball and create space. Keane is not the player Gerrard is by any means, but it seems that Keane was brought in as an overpriced spare man to play in the absence of his captain. In a 4-4-2, formation with Gerrard on the right side of midfield might ideally work for Keane, but that is not getting the most out of Liverpool’s prodigal son.

Where else could Keane play?

The hard crafting Dirk Kuyt has made the right attacking midfield position his own though his sheer hard work. He is one of Rafa Benitez’s favourites, and the stunning performances of newcomer Albert Riera certainly adds character to that left side, a position that was troublesome last year. Therefore, these positions are a no-go.

Understandably, Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun are ahead of Keane on the subs bench for the left and right midfield positions. Benitez is more likely to substitute Kuyt or Riera so that is why Babel and Benayoun would be on the bench ahead of Keane.

The highly talented David Ngog has been given the substitute striker position on the bench where the manager believes that the young Frenchman can play the lone striker role better than Keane. It doesn’t justify Liverpool paying £20.3 million in the first place.

Keane realistically cannot play to his full capacity out on the wings, and it would be difficult, almost damn near impossible to surpass Gerrard in that central role. Yes, he did replace the captain at the game at Wigan, but that is very much a rarity. Benitez probably thought Liverpool would win the game early and give Gerrard a much-needed rest.  

Keane will play regularly if Gerrard is ruled out for injury or suspension, but no fan nor football supporter alike would like that (well, expect Manchester United fans). Keane was not dropped from the squad on bad form; Benitez simply didn’t include him as it made sense. Gerrard was needed for the whole game against Chelsea and Everton, simple as that.