Ireland (National Football)

When he was announcing his squad for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, the wily Giovanni Trapattoni stressed that while his team lacked the individual brilliance of world-class players such as Argentina's Lionel Messi, they nonetheless possessed a strong squad, with discipline, organisation and balance. Once again, Trapattoni is right. However, the question remains: Can they cause an upset in the tournament?

In the course of qualification, Trapattoni's tactical approach frustrated fans. He was steadfast in his adherence to "the system" (a rigid 4-4-2 formation), which saw the Irish team appear shackled on the pitch with each player confined to his respective role. Players such as Andy Reid, Anthony Pilkington and Wes Hoolahan, whom the public believed might add a creative dimension to the team, were seemingly shunned. They are good players, conceded Trapattoni, but not quite good enough for him to remodel his system.

Perhaps the main defence of Trapattoni's approach is that he has made Ireland difficult to beat; in 10 competitive games in the qualifying for Euro 2012, for example, Ireland lost just one game. More pertinently, proponents of Trapattoni's system raise the fact that the decorated coach has, after all, led Ireland to their first major tournament in 10 years—and their first European Championships since 1988.

Nevertheless, despite this impressive feat, there are weaknesses in the system, which were painfully exposed in qualifying, and these may indeed prove costly. The most notable case comes from the game against Russia in Dublin, when Trapattoni's men conceded three goals without reply as the statuesque midfield struggled to respond to the fluid, technical style of play of the Russians. The Irish eventually pulled two goals back to lose 3-2, but the performance was telling.

With this in mind, consider Ireland's opponents in the tournament: Spain, Croatia, Italy.

Reigning world and European champions Spain have set the world alight with their breathtaking "tiki-taka" style of football. It is an enhanced version of the brand of football employed by the Russians and La Roja are sure to carve open the Irish midfield at will. Croatia are a similarly technical team, with the mercurial Luka Modrić pulling strings from midfield.

That said, Ireland can, perhaps, take solace from the shock victory of Switzerland over Spain in the 2010 World Cup. The Swiss team's stout defending and similar tactical approach to Ireland allowed them to run out with a 1-0 victory over the eventual tournament victors. However, it must be noted that snatching important goals against strong teams has proven to be an Achilles' heel of Trapattoni's team. The only realistic hope to get a goal will come through occasional counter-attacks and set pieces.

While Croatia manager Slaven Bilić has suggested that his team is superior to Trapattoni's, Ireland's other opponents, Italy, may look at the fixture with some trepidation. Cesare Prandelli has great respect for Giovanni Trapattoni and expressed concern regarding the prospect of facing the maestro. Interestingly, Ireland's recent record against the Azzurri is commendable; they are unbeaten in their last three encounters and actually defeated the Italians 2-0 in a friendly during the summer of 2011.

Giovanni Trapattoni is passionate. The experienced manager actually issued a rallying cry at the end of his squad announcement—urging his players recognise their limits, to work to improve and to believe in their ability during this tournament. Throughout his tenure, he has repeatedly mentioned Greece's unlikely victory in Euro 2004 to be taken as inspiration by his limited players.

They enter the tournament with the public giving them absolutely no chance, but no team will underestimate Trapattoni's troops.

Ryan Kelly is a football writer for goal.com Ireland, Sports News Ireland and You Boys In Green Fanzine. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ryandelarge.

Robbie Keane, Shay Given, Richard Dunne, John O'Shea—they will be the conventional names offered up by the Republic of Ireland's group opponents ahead of Euro 2012.

Yet there is quite a bit more to the current Ireland squad than these veterans, and while the defensive trio will arguably have a big part to play for Giovanni Trapattoni's team in the coming weeks, there is much evidence to suggest that Keane is some way past his best at the international level.

Robbie's appetite for representing his country has never been stronger, but having lost a yard of pace or two, the former Spurs striker is something of a luxury in the Irish forward line.

There is a school of thought which says the Dubliner should have, some time ago, been billeted in the Irish midfield to fill the creativity void which clearly exists there. And there is also the prevailing opinion that the Los Angeles striker shows best when running at defences from midfield, as he so often did in support of Dimitar Berbatov.

Keane's name will be top billing from Split to Siena to Seville in the lead up to the June tournament, yet Trapattoni, ironically one whose stoic defensive reputation precedes him, appears to have a few aces up his sleeve outside of the most recognized names in his squad.

Whether by design or not, the Italian has assembled quite a decent group of attackers who have caused all manner of problems for Premier League defences this season. Indeed, the suggestions in some quarters, that this particular posse of Irish strikers is the most potent ever assembled by the country, is quite a credible one.

Shane Long, Kevin Doyle, Simon Cox, Keane, James McClean and Jon Walters; that is a quite diverse group, with each man bringing a unique skill set to the proceedings.

Jon Walters

Walters is the secret favorite of most Irish fans, his bustling style offering the Boys in Green a quite potent option in attack, one which rekindles memories of Michael Robinson in the 80s.

Walters has more guile and poise than the former Liverpool player and has popped up with five goals for his club this season, yet strike partner Peter Crouch owes a debt to the Irishman for his own goals haul this season.

While Robbie Keane has been Ireland's fan favorite over the past decade, the Stoke City striker has twice in the past year been introduced from the bench for his country, and in both cases almost instantly changed the dynamic of the Irish attack.

A big man who can take the ball comfortably on his chest and hold it up in the final third, Walters is a Godsend to a team which spends an inordinate amount of time on the back foot.

Walters also possesses the element of surprise—it's doubtful Croatia, Spain or Italy will set their stall out to counteract the Stoke player, choosing instead to concentrate on the known quantities of Keane and Duff.

Almost impossible to knock off the ball, this international late bloomer should be a starter for the Boys in Green, but Trap sticks to his system and has proved quite stubborn in that regard. The likelihood is that Walters will start on the bench for Ireland but look for him to enter games late, and with the opposition possibly having punched themselves out against a rigid Ireland defence. In such circumstances Walters might just find himself an instant hero.

Jon can be the perfect foil for Keane, Long or Doyle in attack and none of Ireland's group opponents will relish seeing the imposing Stoke player emerging from the bench with the game on the line in Poland.

There is a suggestion that the big man is tired after a long Premier League season. If so his international manager will do well to give Walters all the rest he needs in order to get the best out of him at Euro 2012.

Aiden McGeady

McGeady plies his trade in Moscow with Spartak and following a burdensome Stg10m transfer, has taken to that stage like a duck to water.

There was legitimate concern when the Glaswegian left Celtic a year ago. Some fans wondered if he could perform at a similar level outside Scottish football. Yet the winger's tricks have proved as bamboozling to Russian defenses as they have to the likes of Dundee United and Kilmarnock.

But while McGeady has proved all his doubters wrong at club level and has been one of Spartak's top performers this season, it's not so clear-cut on the international stage. A contingent of Irish fans bemoan his lack of a final product after some dazzling wing wizardry, but such sentiment is misguided in the extreme.

The bigger picture tells a story of a player who time and again has taken the pressure off his overworked defenders, with an ability to run long and hard at opposition defenses.

The law of averages will place McGeady in the opposition penalty area ten or more times per game—it is a weapon which Trapattoni needs to take advantage of.

On his day McGeady is as good as Ronaldo, mesmerizing defenders from a standing start and demanding the attentions of two or more defenders at times. If he can be persuaded to cultivate a clear line of communication with his strike partners, and release the ball a smidgeon earlier, then Ireland could reap the rewards from Aiden's silky skills in the Euros.

Shane Long

Shane Long wasted little time in opening his Premier League account following a Stg7m transfer from Reading in 2011. But that early season goal was the highlight of a long and difficult season for the Tipperary man. West Brom struggled for extended periods last term, and Long's form ebbed and flowed in a team which was built on a safety-first foundation.

Had he taken a chance on a move to Bayern, Munich, things might have been entirely different for this impish Republic of Ireland striker last season, but Shane won't be crying over spilled milk. He'll feel that things happen for a reason and perhaps the season just spent with West Brom's battlers was just what the doctor ordered to acclimatize the 25-year-old for the battles of Euro 2012.

Seven goals for the Baggies this season was a decent haul under the circumstances, but it doesn't begin to tell the tale of a player who can harass the best of defenders. His low center of gravity gives Shane an advantage to begin with, and he possesses a very deceptive turn of foot which has placed many an opponent in an awkward situation.

Long also displays textbook heading ability and elevation for a small man and has never let his country down. The reality is that Keane will be handed the striker's shirt in Ireland's opening contest, but with Long ready, willing and able to replace him at a moment's notice, even record goalscorer Robbie will feel the pressure of having to perform on the day.

James McClean

James McClean will likely still be pinching himself as the Irish plane heads off to Poland in June. A year ago the Derry youngster was playing domestic football in Ireland and no one, not even the most hopeless optimist could have predicted such a turn of events for the 23-year-old.

In that time the Derryman has made a big impact on Premier League football and has been called up to represent his country. That was followed a week ago by the biggest honor of any player's career: being picked to represent his country at a major finals.

But there will be no room for fairy tales when James takes to the pitch for Ireland this summer. An astute professional for one so young, McClean realizes that he's still learning the game and has paid tribute to his current teacher, Martin O'Neill.

McClean is the antithesis of the man in possession of the left winger's shirt for Ireland, Damien Duff. Whereas the Fulham veteran has the skill to hold up the ball and find an opponent, McClean is all about speed and running at defenders.

The Sunderland flanker has also developed a trademark delivery which brings back memories of those tantalizing crosses once produced by Nottingham Forest's, John Robertson.

McClean has a handful of goals to his credit for the Black Cats this season, and it appears there is nothing this youngster cannot do when he puts his mind to it. It has been a fairy tale so far for James—what are the odds that he'll hit the headlines for Ireland in Poland this summer?

Stephen Hunt

Stephen Hunt has endured a patchy season at Wolves, relegation adding insult to long periods on the sidelines through injury. But Hunt, like many of his teammates in green, really shines when it comes to representing his country.

Timing is everything in football and the former Reading utility man appears fresher than ever following a five-week period on the treatment table. Hunt, it could be argued, is a ready-made counterweight to Luca Modric of Croatia in Ireland's opener. Whether Mr. Trapattoni sees it that way is another matter, but the in-your-face style of the Munster man is renowned throughout the Premier League for cramping the style of even the classiest performers.

Like Walters, McClean and possibly Shane Long, Hunt is apt to be seen in the substitute's role for his country, the suggestion being that Ireland's game-plan will be very much one of containment, with the impact players entering the fray in the late going.

The applause, which traditionally greets Hunt's introduction from the Irish bench, indicates the regard with which he is held by fans of the Boys in Green. Stephen is fondly remembered as the supplier of two high-profile goals against Bulgaria and Italy in the campaign before last, Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger netting with unstoppable headers in each case.

Stephen Hunt is a high octane player. He can be used at left back, left wing, man marker and as an all-round nuisance to opposition teams. He doesn't usually get the plaudits for his style of play, but with Ireland likely to be dependent on a high pressure game in Poland in June, Hunt checks the boxes on all levels.

Some days ago, Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Noel King revealed that 21-year-old New York Red Bulls custodian Ryan Meara was in his plans, but a battle between "club and country" has arisen.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, King remarked that his scouting team had been following the progress of the goalkeeper and were suitably impressed, noting that he was "a big lad with good hands and he's a strong kicker."

King then revealed that he intended to invite Meara to Ireland for his squad's upcoming games against Denmark and Italy, so that he could properly assess the player.

However, the news was not long broken before Red Bulls' Swedish coach, Hans Backe, issued a frank summary of his thoughts on the situation.

In what might be construed as a brusque musing, Backe dismissed the notion that his current number one might travel to Europe to play in high-level international competition, saying that he would not give the go-ahead. "It's stupid," said Backe, "I'm not commenting on it."

Meara, who qualifies for the Republic of Ireland through his grandparents, seemed dejected by the development but conceded to the wishes of his coach, suggesting that the Swede's greater experience in the game demanded that he conform.

Although it may be true that the sexagenarian Backe holds much more experience than the rookie Meara, it is also true that the career of a professional footballer can be painfully short.

International honours do not roll round to just any player and in the process of blocking Meara's potential appearance for the Republic of Ireland under 21s, Backe may just have removed the only chance that Meara might have of featuring in top-level international competition.

It goes without saying that competitive international football has also provided a platform for many players to progress in the game.

Indeed current Ireland internationals, Darren O'Dea and Paul Green, may find themselves out of contract come summertime, but they appear confident that being a part of the Irish contingent travelling to the European Championships will yield positive results in the form of contract offers.

With that in mind perhaps Meara or his representatives should have been a bit more assertive, in the interests of the player and his career, and demanded that he be allowed to seize this rare opportunity.