Best hoping yellow peril won't colour Trap's mind
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Tuesday October 13 2009
LEON Best's heart sank when Irish manager Giovanni Trapattoni signalled he is worried about players on yellow cards for the match against Montenegro at Croke Park tomorrow night.
Best's confidence and club performances have soared since he got his call-up to the Irish squad but the booking he incurred against Italy on Saturday could keep him out of the Irish team's final Group 8 qualifier.
The Coventry City striker was in action for only a couple of minutes in the second half when Norwegian referee Terje Hauge took his name for a foul. That puts Best, Shay Given, Keith Andrews, Paul McShane and Aiden McGeady at risk of suspension for the play-offs if they were in the team and got booked against Montenegro.
Glenn Whelan is back in Stoke receiving treatment for a calf injury but he got a yellow card against Italy which would have kept him out of the Montenegro game.
"I'm disappointed with getting the card, because I thought I was fouled before I got the yellow card. Then the gaffer mentioned today that he might not be playing players with yellows," Best said.
"That's a bit of a downer, because this could have possibly been a game where I could have started because he might have wanted to rest players, so I'm disappointed with that.
"There's still a possibility I could be involved but if I'm not it will be down to that yellow card. I know it makes sense because, though we want to beat Montenegro, the next game is in the play-off and that's more important."
Best has been fast-tracked by Trapattoni, making his debut in May against Nigeria and then coming on as a sub against Bulgaria in June and in the friendly against South Africa last month. The 23-year-old is loving his involvement with the Irish squad and is unsurprisingly a fan of Trapattoni.
"Everything he's put in front of me has been a learning curve which I've loved and all the confidence and the goals I'm scoring for Coventry now is a result of coming into the international set up," said Best.
The presence of family members at Croke Park, including mum Irene who flew over from England, was a bonus as Best came on to play against the world champions.
positive
"I felt I did ok, but again it would have felt better if we'd won. But a draw is still a positive and I was just delighted to get a draw in front of my family as well," he said. "I think that was the eighth time my mum watched me play. She doesn't really like football, but she was disappointed over the yellow card.
"She asked me, 'why did he give you the yellow?' but luckily she blamed it all on the ref," he added.
On the debit side, Best described the late second equaliser as akin to "a knife in the back".
"The atmosphere was great. It's definitely the biggest crowd I've played in front of, and just disappointed not to get the win.
"Their second goal was like a knife in the back but when you look at it again, it's a lot more positive and it shows we can play against the best and we'll be looking to win the game on Wednesday," he said.
Best, signed in 2007 as an out-of-contract player from Southampton, has scored six goals in 11 Championship games for Coventry so far, the same tally as former Irish striker Clinton Morrison.
"Clint is very disappointed he's not in the set-up any more," said Best. "He'd love to be back in it but our friendship's good on and off the pitch. I think that's the reason we play so well together."
- Liam Kelly
Irish Independent
