When these sides met at Lansdowne Road in 2001, the game had barely started when Roy Keane went right through the back of Marc Overmars, which set the tone for a famous victory for Ireland against the Netherlands en route to the 2002 World Cup.
Tonight’s encounter will produce nothing of the sort, even if such a challenge would probably bring a wry smile to the Ireland assistant, rather the midfielders on show will need to use more contemporary methods of impressing the management team.
The fixture should still be a competitive affair with the Irish players looking to cement their place in Martin O’Neill’s squad for the Euros, while the Dutch will be hoping to regain a bit of their shattered reputation with a decent performance to end the season.
O’Neill has a couple of injury concerns ahead of the game and will not risk James McCarthy, who is struggling with a groin strain, and Ciaran Clark who has not fully recovered from an ankle injury.
It is safe to say that both players are on the plane to France and even though McCarthy has not trained this week, the manager will be happy to wrap him up in cotton wool until he is fully recovered, even if that means that he misses the game against Belarus on Tuesday as well.
Clark has been training but not at 100% intensity, and he would be expected to be fine for the Turner’s Cross clash, where he is likely to start.
Of course, the Ireland manager has not finalised his squad and as a result, is missing the chance of getting into Euro 2016 mode by naming the side and system that he is likely to deploy against Sweden at Stade de France on 13 June.
"Another lacking that international experience, but with much more of a chance of getting to France, is Eunan O’Kane who made a real impact against Switzerland and Slovakia in March"
However, it is a fair assumption that the eleven who take the field tonight are either certain to travel in the 23 or are very close to it.
The Ireland manager has only two goalkeepers to choose from due to the English play-offs, although Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers – who was drafted in to help out with the keepers this week – has impressed the Ireland boss in training and may be involved with the squad tonight.
But Shay Given will surely be handed the number one jersey to see where he is at in terms of fitness and sharpness, as Darren Randolph has nothing to prove to the manager.
O’Neill is in a position to name his first choice back four in tonight’s encounter, although Seamus Coleman might not be risked as he is still regaining full fitness from a late season injury.
But John O’Shea and Richard Keogh could well be O’Neill’s partnership of choice in the middle of the defence and it will be interesting to see whether Robbie Brady or Stephen Ward take up the left-back position.
Playing Brady in that role has really added a strong attacking dimension to the left flank, however, there have been problems defensively with that area being exposed and exploited in several games in qualification and the play-offs.
Ward has obviously had a decent season at Burnley and might give a bit more balance to that back four, and should the former Bohemians man get the nod, it might show that O’Neill is planning a more cautious approach in next month’s tournament.
Harry Arter is the player that most are expecting to break into the squad without having been part of the qualification process and tonight will be the first time the manager will properly get to see what he can contribute to this team.
The Bournemouth midfielder is set to start and it will be interesting to see what role the manager asks Arter to play.
Arter mentioned in a press conference yesterday that he would not be trying to do anything new to impress the manager but rather stick to his style which has earned many plaudits over the past two seasons as Bournemouth reached and maintained Premier League status.
The midfielder will work relentlessly when Ireland are not in possession, but his game certainly comes to life when playing neat passes in the middle of the park, while also very capable of bursting into the box to get in on goal.
"With Wes Hoolahan guaranteed a place in the squad, O’Neill may throw David McGoldrick into that number 10 role to see how he fares against strong opposition"
Arter also possesses an eye for goal from distance and this could be one of his main attributes that the manager is hoping to see over the next two games and potentially in the tournament.
And while not a wide player, Arter could certainly slot into O’Neill’s floating formation where outside midfielders are encouraged to drift inside to get involved as Jeff Hendrick and Wes Hoolahan have performed in recent fixtures.
One player who should also start is a natural wide man and one whose place many critics believe is in jeopardy, despite being an Ireland regular throughout the O’Neill era.
Aiden McGeady has had another average season at club level but is blessed with an ability, when on form, to get past players and create opportunities in the final third, which holds huge sway with the manager.
O’Neill admitted that he was working on bringing McGeady’s swagger back in training this week and there will be no one watching the Everton winger’s performance more than the manager.
McGeady will surely start tonight and as long as O’Neill sees glimpses of that ability in the first 60 minutes, his place in the 23 should be secured.
On the other hand, if McGeady cannot produce the goods, O’Neill just may throw his wildcard Callum O’Dowda into the fray for the final half hour to see what he has in his locker.
The Oxford winger is a natural wide player and while he does his best work at club level on the left flank, he has been deployed on the right for the Ireland Under-21s, the position where he caught the manager’s eye.
It would be a huge shock if O’Dowda was to sneak past McGeady onto the plane but perhaps O’Neill is willing to take a punt on a player who is yet to prove it at the top level.
Another lacking that international experience, but with much more of a chance of getting to France, is Eunan O’Kane who made a real impact against Switzerland and Slovakia in March.
"There are also several young Dutch stars likely to get a run out with Tonny Vilhena of Feyenoord and Utrecht’s Bart Ramselaar amongst the Netherlands squad"
There is nothing fancy about O’Kane but with the manager stressing the need for this team to hold onto the ball, there are few players in the squad better at keeping possession than the Derry native.
It is unlikely, yet not impossible, that the manager will take both of the Cherries new boys to the tournament, but it is clear that they have both pushed right up the pecking order in O’Neill’s mind.
The problem for the manager is that he will find it very hard to justify bringing one or both of them in place of someone who has made a big contribution to the campaign without a real eye-catching performance in the green jersey.
And while the manager was full of praise for David Meyler yesterday and the contribution he has made throughout the qualifiers, there is still a sense that the Hull City midfielder is missing a huge opportunity both in this week’s training camp and tonight’s clash due to club commitments.
Meyler will be part of the Hull squad for the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday but the midfielder has missed close to half of this season’s league campaign and may not even start.
Darron Gibson and Stephen Quinn are the other two midfielders really anxious to impress and both will be hoping they can grab that vacant berth in midfield tonight in place of injured McCarthy.
It will be interesting to see how O’Neill approaches tonight’s game from an attacking perspective.
Will he ask Shane Long to lead the line, to set the tone for the upcoming competitive games or does he need to look at Daryl Murphy’s fitness ahead of selection?
With Wes Hoolahan guaranteed a place in the squad, O’Neill may throw David McGoldrick into that number 10 role to see how he fares against strong opposition.
The Ipswich man is surely an outside bet at this stage to make the final 23 but with so many of O’Neill’s regulars coming out of a mixed season at club level, an inspiring performance from McGoldrick could give the manager reason enough to include him.
Tonight’s team, whichever XI are selected, are going to have to do the basics first before concentrating on individual moments and that will be to follow instruction and to “know your role”, a mantra of O’Neill.
And with the Dutch likely to name a strong side, the Ireland team could find themselves without the ball for long periods, as happened against the Swiss in March.
Back then, Alan Judge followed his manager’s instruction by staying wide and working back to help the defence. As a result, the player had little or no time on the ball to do all the things that got him into the squad in the first place.
For that reason, it is going to be harder for an attack-minded player to impress, which could stand against McGoldrick throughout the night.
And while most of the home fans’, media and management will be focused on the ten outfield green jerseys, there is a real threat that a very good game of football could break out with a strong Dutch squad named for the Dublin encounter.
Wesley Sneijder is ruled out of tonight’s game due to club commitments in Turkey, however, there are a host of Premier League players set to star. Manchester United’s Memphis Depay and Daley Blind are likely to start, alongside former Celtic defender, now of Southampton, Virgil van Dijk.
Relegated Newcastle midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum may also start, while Roma’s Kevin Strootman is back involved with the Dutch squad.
There are also several young Dutch stars likely to get a run out with Tonny Vilhena of Feyenoord and Utrecht’s Bart Ramselaar amongst the Netherlands squad.
But the Ireland fans will expect a big performance as the squad bids farewell to the home stadium ahead of next week’s Cork camp, before flying out to France on 8 June.
And the players should respond to what should be a near-capacity attendance at the Aviva.
The result, of course, is hugely irrelevant and the manager will be happy as long as he can cross a few question marks off his final selection and escape at the whistle with no new injury concerns to worry about.
