If Roy Keane has noticed some ‘Spursy’ qualities in Belgium he is not about to point them out and give Saturday’s opponents something to get geed up about.
After all, the Republic of Ireland assistant manager is more likely to provoke his own players than the opposition and, besides, injecting some fire in Marc Wilmots’ talented but faintly feckless side would seem foolish.
Keane was asked early on during Thursday’s now weekly appearance before the media if the commonly held belief that Wilmots’ collection of stars add up to less than the sum of their parts held water.
“It’s harsh to say they’re not a great team because there are not that many great teams out there. They have the potential to be a great team,” was the Corkman’s politely damning response, as he refused the temptation to go in two-footed.
Roy Keane was on form today in Versailles as he discussed his threats towards Eden Hazard, plus Belgian boozing #IRLhttps://t.co/UyeTD7am59
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 16, 2016
But having watched the world’s second best team (according to the FIFA rankings) be so comprehensively outplayed by a supposedly limited, but supremely well-drilled, Italian team it is not hard to think back to Keane’s comments in the wake of Ireland’s defeat to Belarus.
“You’re playing international football. Control the bloody ball. Pass it to your mates and if you lose it, run back and run back like you care.”
Does Eden Hazard care? Does he care enough for Keane’s liking? Almost definitely not, even if Keane admitted that Ireland could use a player of the quality of the Belgian captain.
He has a better first touch than James McClean but Hazard will never show the same passion and commitment as the man likely to start in place of Jon Walters in Bordeaux on Saturday.
Undoubtedly Keane would like a footballer who has both a first touch and the requisite desire, someone like himself, but if he had to choose he would likely stump for a player who will track back.
Thursday’s session at Stade de Montbauron began with some amusing japery among the coaches as they waited for the players – the standard crossbar challenge with a twist of petanque and a practical joke kicker.
Keano's a proper messer https://t.co/f52L37o1eX
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 16, 2016
However by the time Keane arrived into the municipal gymnasium that has been converted into the Irish media centre he was in full international assistant manager mode.
When asked about Hungary’s ability to hold onto a lead against Austria while Ireland failed against Sweden on Monday night he launched into a lengthy answer on game management – “it’s the new word now, is it not?”
While agreeing “you’ve got to find different ways to win a game of football”, Keane was at his most exercised earlier when discussing Albania’s performance in defeat to France.
He wasn’t asked specifically about Albania but rather the football he has witnessed at Euro 2016 and it was Albania’s physical courage that stood out.
“Albania were outstanding. Physically strong and not holding back – that’s what the game of football is all about. Don’t get me wrong, we all enjoy a bit of skill but when you see people putting their bodies on the line, I like that side of it.”
Keane wants to “see warriors out there”. A sentiment that might be shared by Belgian fans who saw their team head to Brazil on a wave of hype two years ago, won all their group games, scraped past the United States in the second round before being beaten 1-0 by eventual finalists Argentina.
By no means a disaster but, like all ‘Golden Generations’, more is expected and the 2-0 loss to a generation of Italian players who are seen as anything but golden has heaped pressure on Wilmots.
The Belgium coach will surely be jettisoned if a team that boasts talent from some of the biggest clubs in Europe does not make a mark at this tournament.
His ability to provide defensive solidity has been severely hampered by the loss of Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Lombaerts but, in Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, he has a stand-in central defensive pairing that Martin O’Neill and Keane would be quite satisfied with.
While John O’Shea and Ciaran Clark were battling Premier League relegation with varying degrees of success, Vertonghen and Alderweireld were vying for the title.
Which brings us back to the inherent ‘Spursiness’ of Belgium. Alex Ferguson’s three-word team-talk ahead of a meeting with Tottenham has reached legendary status since Keane revealed it in his second autobiography: “Lads, it’s Tottenham”.
In Keane’s mind this was the perfect way to inspire a highly-motivated and talented Manchester United team heading out to play a less talented and less motivated Spurs side. It has stayed with Keane as he moved into coaching and punditry.
A North London derby FA Cup defeat two years ago was described by Keane as “typical Tottenham” who “will always lets you down”.
Ireland do not possess the talent of the United teams with which Keane conquered White Hart Lane repeatedly but Keane and O’Neill will bank on devising a plan to make the most of the cohesion and spirit that has been built over the past two years and hope that a Wes Hoolahan, Robbie Brady or Shane Long can produce the necessary magic.
But putting their bodies on the line and behaving like warriors is both the least and the most that the Ireland number two expects from the team. If the world number two side give Wilmots that and shake off their suspected ‘Spursiness’ then there will be trouble.
Sweden were a team with one star, Italy are a team with a star coach and Keane will hope Ireland’s team without stars can make hay against the stars struggling to make a team.
