Jason McAteer has been speaking to the media this week and as we all know, that's always a positive. Things can be rather tedious in the world of sport at times but when McAteer speaks, you're always going to get something of interest. This time around, he was at pains to point out that Ireland's World Cup squad in 2002 really doesn't get the credit it deserves.
88, 90 and 94 are all part of the glory years. 2012 was the obvious low point. But 2002 gets lost in the cracks somewhat. Perhaps it's Saipan's fault or perhaps not enough time has passed for us to glorify it in the full haze of Irish rose tinted glasses but Mick McCarthy's squad don't get the credit they deserve according to McAteer.
Which brings us to 2016. There's no one out there who would suggest that Ireland are blessed with an incredibly talented team but (whisper it) much like 2012, we're heading into the European Championships as an organised unit that is probably better than the sum of its parts.
So what of McAteer's suggestion that the 2002 side are clearly superior to Ireland's current crop. We decided to take our expected Euro 2016 squad and compare it to Mick's charges in 2002 and the results are pretty much what you'd expect. (We've gone for Ireland's current most 4-4-2-esque team for comparison purposes so Hoolahan misses out as a result of circumstance, not personal preference).
The teams
The current line-up is far from confirmed of course but that's likely to be what we're going with at this moment in time. So is McAteer correct? We've divided the teams into their positions with five points up for grabs.
Goalkeeper
As was stated on BT Sport last night, Darren Randolph may well be the best substitute goalkeeper in the Premier League. His performance against Liverpool was once again impeccable and incredibly we're delighted to be heading to the Euros with the former Motherwell man between the sticks.
However, he's not Shay Given in his mid-twenties. In reality, it's probably closer than some may have you believe but we still have to give this one to Shay and the class of 2002.
2002 1-0 2016
Defenders
Once again, we'll keep this fairly short. Ireland's defence at Euro 2016 could well be our downfall. We've talked about it before and we'll more than likely talk about it again but, in particular, our central defensive options are worrying. They carried us through qualifying impeccably but then again, so did our defence in 2012.
Having said all that, the 2002 aren't above criticism either particularly at centre half. Man for man it's probably two each with Coleman, Breen, O'Shea and Harte. However, the relative strength of Finnan and Staunton may well hand the comparative advantage to 2002. It's 2-0 to Mick's side but only just.
Midfielders
If we're letting on that both sides played/play a flat four across the middle then there's an awful lot of similarities to be seen. A left sided midfielder who can used at left back, a right sided midfielder who's really not a right sided midfielder and a central midfield partnership that remains undervalued despite some important performances.
The added effectiveness of Brady in attack and the fact that we're on a bit of a crusade to ensure that James McCarthy gets the praise he deserves means that we're siding with the current crop on this one.
2002 2-1 2016
Strikers
We love Shane Long, we love Jon Walters, we love what they bring to the Irish jersey. But there's no chance they're getting past the greatest partnership in the history of Irish sport. It's simply not happening. The reality of the situation is that Long would have to score fifty goals against the Germans and Walters would have to hold the ball in the corner for a cumulative three years to be in with a shout of overtaking the Keane and Duff.
They weren't an out and out strike partnership in Japan and Korea but they were fairly close and that game against Saudi Arabia proved just how effective they could be up front together. It's a clear win for 2002.
Options from the bench
Jason McAteer, Niall Quinn, Stephen Reid, Kenny Cunningham and Lee Carsley. They were the players that McCarthy turned to in 2002 when he needed to change things up. In defence, be it McAteer or Cunningham, there's no comparison to Ireland's current options. However, further up the field is where the class of 2016 can more than hold their own.
McClean, McGeady, Hoolahan and current vintage Robbie Keane ensure that we're going to suggest that Martin O'Neill has greater options open to him from the bench, particularly in an attacking sense.
All in all that means that 2002 era Ireland edge out the current crop by an entirely subjective 3-2 in our borderline nonsensical method of comparison. Ultimately, we'll give it to McAteer that Mick's side were superior but perhaps not by the 'miles' he was suggesting.
