John O’Shea has marked James McClean – James McClean the striker. He knows he can play there.
On a night when the Derry man could just have worked his way right up the attacking pecking order behind Shane Long and Jon Walters with his performance up front – another superb performance – John O’Shea wasn’t one bit surprised.
Ireland’s on-field captain himself might’ve taken a stride to regaining his starting berth that he lost for the final playoff game. A decent 45-minute shift against Slovakia wasn’t the doing of that and Richard Keogh’s non-involvement in either friendly wasn’t even either. Keogh’s lack of game time was curious however and it was an indication, if nothing else, that the manager was reassessing his options.
But the Sunderland defender was full of praise for two men after the 2-2 draw with Slovakia at the Aviva. One of them was James McClean. The striker.
“We were aware that we were probably going to be short a little bit with our strikers and Longy picked up a small knock but it’s nothing too serious,” O’Shea said. “He showed how important he is with his performance in the first half but James McClean has done a job for us.
“He’s got energy. He’s strong in the air. He’s not going to give you a minute’s piece. He’d be a little bit like Longy in a sense but Long would be a bit more experienced playing there – but James has shown that he has done the job.”
It’s all well and good having two potential Shane Longs up top – well, it’s bloody brilliant. But what is a team without a Wes Hoolahan? What is football without Wes Hoolahan?
“Little Wes was fantastic again tonight,” O’Shea smiled. “Getting on the ball, picking up the little pockets and those players [Hoolahan, McClean, Long] are all good quality footballers who can link up well together.
“We spoke about it beforehand, trying to find Wes in the little spaces, the pockets, and you have Glenn [Whelan] and James [McCarthy] picking up spaces to find him too. He’s a fantastic link man but he’s got that bit of quality too and he can get us higher up the pitch and keep possession.”
Before every game at the Aviva, a highlights reel is played on the big screen. Just before kick-off, the good times of the qualifying campaign are rattled through but that famous O’Shea goal in Germany on his 100th cap always seems most prominent. Accompanied with music behind it, the voice of George Hamilton screaming, “O’Shea!” booms around the stadium.
It must be something the player hears, right? It must be something his team mates even say to him.
“I didn’t notice it before Friday,” he said. “I noticed it the other night because I didn’t tog out and you’re able to see these things but not beforehand because you’re obviously just getting ready for the game. Thankfully it’s a goal they show… so it’s a good thing.”
Ireland’s next game is in Dublin in May when the Dutch come to town for the final send-off at the Aviva on the 27th. Martin O’Neill’s men entertain Belarus in Turner’s Cross in Cork on May 31 before taking for France.
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