RSS
Cathal Dervan


comment on article Make a comment
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail

CATHAL DERVAN

Minus Duff, Trap needs an Andy Reid Call

By
Cathal Dervan

Published Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 10:31 AM
Updated Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 10:31 AM

Vote now - Buzz this up!


Minus Duff, Trap needs an Andy Reid Call | Irish Sport | IrishCentral




Andy Reid

The football manager born in Italy blew his top late on Tuesday afternoon as the questions rained down again about the continued absence of one of his top players from his squad for Saturday’s big match in Croke Park.

He had had enough by the time one of those television sorts asked a question too many of a man renowned as one of the finest tacticians of his generation.

The midfielder in question has yet to feature in his country’s squad for any of the Group Eight games that will draw to a conclusion on Wednesday of next week.

And not for the first time, the reporter wanted to know why with a line of questioning that didn’t endear itself to the veteran coach.

“I’m fed up with this question,” said Marcello Lippi at Italy’s training camp high in the Tuscan hills as the continued absence of playmaker Antonio Cassano from his squad dominated the first official press conference of the week Italy can confirm World Cup qualification.

Hundreds of miles away, in the north Dublin suburbs, the Irish media had a little giggle when word came through of the latest Cassano row in the Italian camp.

The news broke, you see, as they prepared for a pitchside update in Malahide with Giovanni Trapattoni when the absence of another talented midfield artist was about to dominate the proceedings.

Andy Reid is to Ireland’s current World Cup squad what Cassano is to Lippi’s Italy.

He is the playmaker playing out of his skin for his club Sunderland at the moment, just as Cassano is back to top form with Sampdoria having finally found a maturity to match his skills.

Just last Saturday night, satellite football fans watched a five star show from Reid as he almost orchestrated a shock win for Sunderland at Manchester United’s Old Trafford ground, a victory denied only by another 96th minute goal for the home side.

The new, slimmer Reid, as the television viewers saw that day, was exceptional on the left flank for his club just before what is going to be a huge week for his country.

He tormented compatriot John O’Shea from start to finish and was the architect of the second Sunderland goal, finished by Kenwynne Jones, that almost stole all three points for the visitors in the 2-2 draw.

The chances are that Giovanni Trapattoni was watching Reid’s live TV show back in his Milan home. He doesn’t go to many games in England despite his huge salary, but Trap loves to watch Premier League matches on his flat screen.

So we can only hope that Trapattoni noted that Reid’s performance was anything but flat, as acknowledged by his marker O’Shea at a Dublin press conference on Monday afternoon.

“Andy definitely could be in the squad with his ability, without a doubt, but that is up to the manager,” said O’Shea at a Carlsberg function, and he was probably right (get it?).

“He’s doing his talking on the pitch now, and hopefully that will be enough for him to get into the squad.”

1 2 3 Next page >

Vote now - Buzz this story up!


Minus Duff, Trap needs an Andy Reid Call | Irish Sport | IrishCentral


print this article Print
email this articleE-mail


Be the first to make a comment.







remember me on this computer
forget your password?     
IrishCentral.com is also home to Irish Voice and Irish America magazine