Matt Doherty has joined Republic of Ireland captain Séamus Coleman on the absentee list ahead of next Thursday’s European Championship qualifier against France at Parc des Princes.
Uefa increased Doherty’s automatic suspension to a second game, following a skirmish with Greece pair Georgios Tzavellas and Kostas Tsmikas in June that led to a red card, possibly as punishment for the Wolves wing-back’s subsequent criticism of referee Harald Lechner.
“Referees these days they don’t even let you speak to them,” said Doherty after the match. “They’re so arrogant and sure about themselves that you’re not even allowed to approach them and have a normal conversation. It’s always about them.”
Coleman’s absence due to a knee injury means that Ireland manager Stephen Kenny must choose between Alan Browne and Jason Knight to provide cover on the right. Browne, the Preston North End captain, and Knight, who recently signed for Bristol City, have previously filled-in at wing-back but both are natural midfielders.
Having lost two of their three opening fixtures in Group B, Kenny needs at least two points during the upcoming international window. Avoiding defeat against the number two side in the world in Paris, and the Netherlands – currently ranked seven by Fifa – at the Aviva stadium three days later would be a major achievement by an Irish squad that only contains a handful of Premier League regulars.
Didier Deschamps’ France won their opening four matches, including a 1-0 result in Dublin, while the Dutch are scrambling to secure a Euros play-off spot ahead of Greece.
Last time the Irish public heard from Kenny it was the approaching the early hours of June 20th. Ireland had just made heavy work of Gibraltar, a nation with a population less than the attendance inside the Aviva that night, but second half goals from Mikey Johnston, Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah secured the three points.
The result failed to mask an abysmal performance three days earlier at the Opap Arena in the Greek capital, where after a 2-1 defeat, Kenny’s subsequent “I failed better” speech to the press reflected how perilous his position had become.
“Realistically I have been two years building this team,” he said. “We’ve given 18 players their debut, through our own system. We’d nine years with nothing coming through, nothing.”
“This is the campaign that I’ve built for. Obviously we had a right setback with the game against Greece. That was an important part of the plan, to beat Greece, to try to do that because we got a group of death. But I think, you know, I’m very strong and very resilient and I don’t really care. I don’t need to listen to anyone’s opinions to know what I want and what I am.”
Former Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley has been reported as a potential successor to Kenny. The 49-year-old is currently coaching the England under-21s, who he led to the European title this summer.
Greece manager Gus Poyet was unsparing of Ireland’s tactical approach in Athens, noting that when Kenny’s team need a result they “become the Republic of Ireland”.
“You depend on a corner, you depend on a long ball, you depend on fighting for second and third balls,” added the Uruguayan. “It is difficult, I have been in that situation and it is not for everyone.”
In response, Kenny said, “I wouldn’t have got where I got, into this job, if I didn’t believe you can achieve extraordinary things”.
The extraordinary must be done without the injured Johnston and Michael Obafemi, but Chiedozie Ogbene, Ryan Manning and Shane Duffy are primed to return to the fold when Kenny announces his squad at lunch time on Thursday.
