On Wednesday, they displayed everything we expect from an Irish side . . . spirit, passion and belief. But they also gave us a performance to build on and grounds for optimism.

The last week showed we have a good core of emerging players like Paul McShane, Stephen Hunt, Shane Long, Kevin Doyle and particularly Stephen Ireland. The great thing about them is that they all want to play for their country and show what they can do. They've got hunger and ambition. They come from counties like Wexford and Tipperary that have rarely had players at international soccer level, and want to prove themselves. Doyle is a real threat up front, Hunt gave a fine account of himself coming on as a highly effective sub twice and McShane is forming a good partnership with Richard Dunne. But Stephen Ireland is the one that impresses me most. You can see he's got real football intelligence.

He's small in stature but not in character or composure. That could be seen in the way he took his goal against Wales. He wasn't afraid to find himself in that position and he kept his cool.

I'm hoping over the next few months he can become the midfield player we need.

The thing that has been missing in the Irish team recently is a player who conducts the way the team plays.

The likes of Jonathan Douglas, Kevin Kilbane and Lee Carsley all give you a good shift of work, but they're not exactly going to get the ball from the back four and create.

That was badly lacking throughout the game against Wales but Ireland gave substantial evidence he could be that player in the first half on Wednesday, starting some fluid midfield interchanges.

In the second half, maybe a little bit of fear crept in, a realisation that the result was all important and we needed to defend our goal, so nobody really got on the ball. I'm hoping Ireland can emerge into that position and I think he's got the attributes to do so.

He certainly has to fill one of the central midfield positions from now on. With Damien Duff and Hunt on the wings, a partnership of Robbie Keane and Doyle up front and a back four that has started to gel, that's a formidable outfit. With good leadership it's one that could do something in future years. So now it's down to Steve Staunton to prove he can provide it. Certainly, with a young group like that, there are no excuses any more.

The jury's still out but with the last two games he's given himself the chance to get out of a very tricky situation. I've always said the time for judgement is when this group is decided, not before, and he's got a few games to go yet.

So far, there's been a lot of trial and error. In some cases not even trial. After Cyprus, a couple of players made way.

Neither Clinton Morrison nor Andy O'Brien has figured since and the team has looked better. But those were things that were found out on the road.

Okay, maybe that's par for the course, but some of his decisions still don't make sense to me. The line-up against Wales for example, or the decision to leave Doyle out in that game. I can't see how he wasn't fit to start on the Saturday and then be match-fit four days later. Ireland starting on the right was a total waste of time and I think Staunton only stumbled onto the fact that the lad could link up the midfield and the attack. But then, when you win both games, I suppose the manager is in the position to say "I was right". I don't believe that to be the case but, when you get a victory, no matter how it's achieved, it's another hurdle overcome.

The good thing about winning is that the whole squad will now be looking forward to teaming up again. I think, to a certain extent, the criticism from all quarters has had a positive effect, uniting them and creating a spirit. If Staunton can instill that into his players, as was shown on Wednesday, a surprise in this group isn't beyond them.

To qualify, we're going to have to do something really special . . . like go to the Czech Republic and win. But stranger things have happened. The Czechs have looked wobbly, and they showed in the World Cup that they're getting on a bit. If we can get four points out of six from our next two games . . .away to both Slovakia and the Czech Republic . . . we've got a real chance of second place behind Germany.

I had thought Slovakia would come here and deny us even that hope so early, but all credit to the players and the manager. They've left themselves something to build on. Let's hope they do so.