ROBBIE’S TIME HAS ARRIVED
TIMING is everything. Just ask comedian Jarlath Regan, who was granted an interview to be released today with Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman in the week building up to the World Cup qualifier with Wales in March.
One leg-breaking tackle later and pretty much the entire hourlong chat for the popular podcast ‘An Irishman Abroad’ is of little relevance to supporters who are eager to hear about how the Everton star is coping with the early stages of his rehabilitation and his aims for the future as he attempts to come back stronger than ever.
The 28-year-old will play no part in the remainder of this campaign but still joined up with the squad at their west Dublin hotel last night to offer support ahead of Sunday’s clash with Austria.
The podcast will still be available to download and the FAI will use it as a vehicle for one of their plethora of promotional activities but, three months after it was recorded, much of the interview is old news.
See, timing is everything. Whether you are Darren Randolph coming to collect a dangerous ball in the box or Shane Duffy deciding when a tackle needs to be made, no decision can be misjudged.
Glenn Whelan has made a career out of knowing when to break up play and Wes Hoolahan has spent a career mastering the art of the perfectly-weighted through ball, while strikers are constantly on alert to avoid being caught offside.
For the very best this all comes naturally. In the dead heat of the Stade Pierre-Mauroy during Ireland’s final group game of Euro 2016 against Italy on June 22 last, Robbie Brady produced a moment of such stunning serendipity that it looked to have cemented his place as the new creative, attacking fulcrum of Martin O’Neill’s team.
His run into the box, his leap and his header were all timed to perfection. When Robbie Keane confirmed his retirement after the Euros it was his namesake from the opposite side of Dublin who took on the No.10 jersey.
And when Ireland started this campaign away to Serbia in September, Brady once again occupied that central role which he set about making his own.
So far in Group D it just hasn’t happened and, as former international Keith Andrews explained last week prior to the Uruguay friendly, the Burnley man’s apparent procession to becoming the new high king of this Ireland team has hit the skids.
‘I’m not saying he [O’Neill] will [drop him] but there’s a case to be made that players are playing better than Robbie at the moment.
‘Twelve months ago, he took over the No.10 position. That’s where he was — our star player to a degree. So these are the type of dynamics Martin has had to deal with all season.’
Andrews went on to express his belief that Brady’s best position will be at left wing-back but he expects the 25-year-old to have an international career which will be characterised by self-sacrifice for the greater good.
‘For us, we’ll probably see for years that versatility depending on who is available. He could possibly go on the right wing against Austria, with James McClean on the left, to enable Harry Arter to play with Wes [Hoolahan], or whatever way he wants to go.’
A year ago, such a debate would have seemed unimaginable. Brady’s club record £12million move to Burnley means he is back in the Premier League and while there have been sporadic flashes of his talent he finds himself in a similar struggle to so many — finding consistency.
The trust shown in him by O’Neill is all the proof you need to believe he will get there.
But, so far, the one moment which stands out for Ireland during this World Cup campaign is the silly yellow card which he picked up against Sunday’s opponents in the reverse fixture in Vienna last November.
Brady kicked the ball away to prevent a quick throw-in at the half-way line and paid the consequences as he was suspended for the game with Wales in March.
Ill-fortune has also prevented him from finding his form in a green shirt since the Euros — getting kicked unconscious at home to Georgia also meant he missed
the away trip to Moldova because of concussion.
His quality is not in question, though, and while he has yet to score in Ireland’s five group games and has just one assist, he remains one of O’Neill’s most potent attacking weapons.
With Stephen Ward fully fit and set to play at left-back this weekend, perhaps Brady will be given another crack at a central role against Austria with Jeff Hendrick and James McClean on the flanks either side of him.
The timing could be just right.