Glenn ready to put shoulder to the Wheel

“There are going to be teams with a lot of possession. As long as they have the ball and they aren’t scoring, then you are ok. If they have the ball and are scoring goals left, right and centre, then you are worried.”

These were the thoughts of Stoke City and Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan, when Extratime.ie  caught up with the Dublin native at the launch of the latest Adidas Predator Lethal Zones boots in Carton House, Maynooth.

On a brief visit ahead of his club’s final game of the Premier League season against Bolton this coming weekend, Whelan discussed the European Championships, overtaking a goalkeeping legend in becoming the most capped player in Stoke City’s history and the inclusion of James McClean in the Irish squad.

Although many would have pencilled Whelan in as one of Trapattoni’s first names on the list, he still felt a sense of delight upon hearing the news.

“I found out through family that the team was announced and I was in it, which I was over the moon with. It’s obviously great for everyone who was waiting on the phone call and got it. To my parents, and friends and family everyone is starting to talk about it now.

“Personally, I have been trying to put it to the back of my mind. I didn’t want to think about it because that could be when you start picking up things. We have one game to go and touch wood we get through that and are raring to go after that.”

As preparation continues for the opening fixture against Croatia, the childhood St. Patrick’s Athletic  fan acknowledges it will be the most important game of the finals for Ireland.

“I think the Croatia game is a massive one. If we get a result in the first one, no matter what happens against Spain, we still have a chance of qualifying against Italy. I think it's worry about Croatia; I think it’s probably the biggest game in our group even though we play Spain and Italy as well. I think the first game is always crucial in any tournament you play.

“I think the French game is the highlight for many of us because no one gave us a chance. No one is really giving us a great chance now. It’s the Ireland thing, not just football for a lot of sports it’s the underdog tag, and we will have that in our group. We will cherish that because there is no pressure on us to go out and beat teams three or four nil. The performance comes second, get the result first and worry about the performance after that.

“You can’t go gung hoe either, with attack and attack and before you know it you are one or two nil down. We haven’t got this far to throw it away in the first game, the last thing you want to do is get beat heavily by Croatia. The confidence is gone and the fans are a little bit worried about what will happen against Spain and Italy.

With Spain having to plan without defensive stalwart Carlos Puyol, Whelan unleashed a wry smile when asked whether this boosts Irish hopes of an upset.

“If you said Fabregas, Iniesta, Xavi and a few others... Puyol has been a great player not just for Spain but for Barcelona. If you look at his record, and things he has won and what he has achieved, it’s probably one of the best. To have someone like that out has dented them, but they can just bring someone else in cant they?

“We know it’s going to be tough, Spain is a massive game. We would rather go and play against a Spain and have a chance of winning than playing, without disrespecting, Poland or Ukraine, because the spotlight will be on Spain because of the favourite tag.”

From a personal perspective, Whelan is bound to reflect on a season filled with achievement and development, not only in terms of International Football. A run in Europe, a new contract and a string of strong performances has capped off a fine season for the Dubliner.

“Over the last 12 months, getting in to the playoffs, beating Estonia, qualifying and getting a new contract is down to the hard work I am putting in. The only reason there was every any talk that I wanted to leave Stoke was because I wasn’t playing. Any player, no matter what age, where they are playing, what team they are playing for, if you are not playing it is hard to take.

“It doesn’t matter how much money you are earning. For me, even now if it got to the stage where I didn’t have a chance of playing, I would go and speak to the manager and see if I could go and play somewhere else. On a Saturday, if you are not involved, if you are in the stands or on the bench and not coming on, it’s hard to take.”

Whelan has played a crucial role in the middle of the park for Trapattoni, and believes his job at a club level is similar. Whilst this may not have been a role he grew up playing, he understands the importance of adapting in order to suit the team.

“I am not a player that is going to do tricks, beat players or score 20 goals a season, that’s not me. I know what I am good at and I will keep trying to do that. Whether that’s proving managers wrong, other players or press, I am going to work as hard as I can to change these peoples’ minds.

“The stuff that I do is not the pretty stuff. I know my role, and it’s a role that hopefully I can do well. In the days when I was at Sheffield Wednesday, I scored quite a bit but I had a bit more freedom. Its different roles for different managers, if the manager wants you to play a certain way then you play it because if you don’t someone else will come in and do it.”

Following Ireland’s last friendly, Whelan received some welcome news of becoming Stoke City’s most capped International player.

“I think the last friendly game that we played, someone from Stoke said it to me that the person I was beating was Gordon Banks. Everyone knows what Gordon Banks has done, not just for England but for English football. It’s something I didn’t look in to until I was told. For me, you don’t look at things like that now, but when I am older with the kids and grandkids that we can look back on. It’s something I am proud of.”

James McClean is arguably one of the most in form players eligible to line out in an Ireland jersey, and whilst Whelan believes in the former Derry City players ability, he is hesitant to feed in to the hype out of interest for the player.

“For James, everything has gone right for him at the right time. He is only a young lad; he has only just got in to the Sunderland team. I don’t think anybody, especially us as players or people of the press should be putting pressure on him.

“I think James has played 10/15 minutes of International football, and is compared to Pele, I think that is a little bit much. For his sake, he wants to go out and prove himself and do as well as he can, he doesn’t need the pressure of being compared to this player and that.

“If it doesn’t work for him, then the shoe is on the other foot and people want to forget about him or look to someone else. The big thing for us, and James was to get in the squad. What does he want to do, stay in the squad or get in the team? That’s what he has to look at, get in the team and keep players out of their spot. We need players in form and he is certainly one of them.”

The new Predator^® Lethal Zones football boot will be available from sports stores nationwide from June 2012 in Bright Blue / Infrared / Collegiate Navy / White.