Why Ireland ‘ordinariness’ tasks Scotland’s team of top-flight names to ease Steve Clarke pressure in Armenia

Roy Keane. Steve Staunton. Robbie Keane. Niall Quinn. The names flashed up on the electronic hoardings running round the Aviva stadium. Irish legends to a man were celebrated as the Football Association of Ireland sought to boost the spirits of around 35,000 home fans ahead of Saturday's clash with Scotland.

It was a bold move because it only served to underline the ordinariness of the current team who it was being suggested by local media were charged with saving Stephen Kenny’s job. It isn’t being too disrespectful to suggest many visiting fans might have walked past half the current Irish first XI on O’Connell Street without a second glance. That was before 5pm on Saturday. They know all about Michael Obafemi now.

Still, this team, made up of recruits from the likes of Derby County, Swansea City, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion, are nowhere near the standard of previous vintages.

But like Scotland once had to do, and might have to do again soon, Republic of Ireland are stripping it all back at the risk of exposing flaws. Saturday was the first time two players aged 21 or younger had scored for the Irish in a competitive international since 1997. Were Scotland witlessly compliant in what might stand as the rebirth of an Irish team?

By contrast, every name on Steve Clarke’s team sheet was a top-flight player bar Grant Hanley, whose last game for Norwich City was still in the Premier League, and Ryan Christie, whose next league appearance for Bournemouth will be there.

And yet, Scotland were well beaten. The players, to use Clarke’s phrase, were as “flat as a pancake” afterwards. They even suffered the indignity of being shooed away by their own supporters at the final whistle.

Clarke is not one for being