Getting the right names in the right boxes

I’ve had an easy ride so far when training teams. Be it hurling or hockey, I never had sufficient players to have a selection headache. Belgium was my first football gig and in 2008, the team picked itself whilst last year, there was a fairly clear line between the A and B. 2010 has brought an influx of players and committed ones at that.

On Saturday, I have a list that is approaching 40. The dilemmas will start when we choose whether to break new ground by entering a third team or to have two bumper panels. On Monday night, lads were putting the hands up. Some of the biggest hits we’ve seen went in with more than a few lads being put on their backside. In a competitive environment you won’t get much sympathy if you start dragging your arse. Fellas were bouncing back up and back into it.

The selection puzzle is not black and white. At home, you have a time period in which you can judge a players ability and commitment. You have fewer comings and goings and so fairness and consistency can be more easily defined.

If a guy shows up a week before a tournament and looks the business, you have to throw him in, even if he will be gone in three or four months. That’s the nature of the beast here. Then you’ll have your old war horses with family and other sporting commitments but who will always be there for you to call on. How do you treat them? They’ve soldiered with you all over and will do so in years to come. Leave him out in favour of one of the passers through or tolerate his personal situation and stay loyal.

What about the lad who perseveres through all sorts of ups and downs? How do they feel? I’m certain some trainers have no awareness of this but I’ve felt the pain and injustice of it all, so I can relate to it. Does it mean I won’t make the same mistakes? Am I trying to justify hard decisions which will have to be made? Probably.

Even whether we have two or three teams will have a big bearing on selection. Three Belgium teams means two groups of three, a semi and possible a final. That gives you less chance to rotate and so less chance to blood a less experienced lad. Two Belgian teams means one group of 5 so four games and more chance to rotate. In the player’s eye it is black, white and personal but in reality it is far from it.

One thing for sure is that it doesn’t get personal. I’ve an immense amount of respect for how some lads structure their personal lives to commit to the team. Balancing the respect for that and giving your team the best chance for success is the challenge.