Was it for this?
Ireland face Georgia tonight in a crucial World Cup qualifier. The absence of Wes Hoolahan in a game patently crying out for his inclusion seems a shame, but the pre-game chatter will doubtless be dominated by a wholly more sinister controversy.
In Aiden McGeady's absence, Ireland have only gone and handed the no.7 shirt to one Shane Duffy.
Now, we're huge fans of the Derry man - who in this office is referred to exclusively as 'The Xavi Of The Air', but is nothing sacred anymore? And what's worse is that the FAI are flagrantly parading this decision for all to see, as if it should for some inexplicable reason be celebrated.
Naturally, vigilant Irish fans have aired their concern - and indeed their ire - at a central defender being handed one of the most coveted offensive numbers in the sport. We've included a few of our favourite responses below.
What's worse, of course, is that on an already-hectic night, we're now morally obliged to update the following, as astutely pointed out by Dean Gibbons.
@ballsdotie Shane Duffy wearing 7, that's another to add to the list. https://t.co/4VfJybQMwW
— Dean Gibbons (@dean_gibbons) October 6, 2016
We shan't stand for this madness. We never thought we'd say it, but the sooner Aiden McGeady returns to the Ireland squad the better.
