‘Martin is our lucky charm’
NAPOLEON didn’t want good generals, he wanted lucky ones and Keith Andrews reckons Martin O’Neill is as blessed as any senior officer who served under the wee Corsican.
‘At the moment, if Martin fell in muck, he’d still smell of Old Spice,’ reckons Andrews, the former Republic of Ireland midfielder.
‘I can’t analyse Martin tactically because he sends a team out to play a certain way. How they get results, I honestly don’t know at times. It’s down to the players in some cases, or Martin’s Midas touch in others.
‘But that is three favourable playoff draws in a row — Estonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and now Denmark. The gods are with us and hopefully it lasts.
‘I don’t think Denmark wanted us or are happy with the draw. There were easier draws for them.’
Andrews believes Ireland’s cause has been boosted by their form on their travels under O’Neill to the extent they have lost just twice on the road in two campaigns.
‘We’ve been very good away from home and I wouldn’t be happy coming back from Copenhagen with a one-goal deficit to chase because of our home form. We’re probably more suited to playing away,’ he said.
O’Neill names his squad for the play-offs on Thursday and Andrews wouldn’t be surprised if someone steps from the shadows in Copenhagen on November 11 to seize the moment.
It happened at the Euro 2016 finals where Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick shone, while other players have since grabbed the mantle of responsibility.
‘Following the Euros, certain individuals like Robbie and Jeff felt the pressure from being bumped up a level in world football.
‘They were on everybody’s radar, getting more scrutinised than ever before. They haven’t reproduced those levels in this campaign and need to improve,’ said Andrews.
‘Other players have stepped up. David Meyler has captained the side and James McClean has stood up. Getting performances from players we didn’t expect has been the trend of the group,’ he observed.
‘Meyler has been very reliable since he first came into the squad. Martin trusts him. He’s had to be patient and I don’t think fringe players get enough credit for turning up all the time. There is a huge sacrifice to come away for 10 days and not get a cap.’
Meyler won’t be available until the second leg which could leave an opening for James McCarthy or possibly veteran Wes Hoolahan.
‘James has had a terrible run of injuries but is on the road back. Martin loves him and put him back into that position for the must-win match against Italy at the Euros,’ observed Andrews.
‘That was our best midfield performance; James, Hendrick and Robbie were brilliant that night.
‘We’re not blessed in the area of holding midfielders so James could well play a part. With Meyler suspended for the first leg, and the threat of (Christian) Eriksen, James is more than capable of filling that role if he’s fit.’
While Andrews believes Sean Maguire is ‘the real deal’, he reckons O’Neill will stick with Shane Long and Daryl Murphy as his primary attacking options in the Parken Stadium.
‘The team will be determined by what Martin sees in the Denmark defence but it’s got to be either Shane Long or Daryl Murphy. I can’t see either Maguire or Scott Hogan gate-crashing the starting XI.
‘I’ve got sympathy for Shane but it’s got to be playing on his mind in terms of the amount of time he’s gone without scoring.
‘We all know what he brings to the team. Shane is a team player, very unselfish but at times he needs to be more selfish.’
Can Ireland do it? ‘I think we’re going to qualify. I think we’re going through this nice little stage where we’ll be qualifying for the Euros, World Cup and the Euros again.
‘That’s without our greatest squad but they have the bit between their teeth. If they can raise their performance levels by another five or 10 per cent, I genuinely fancy us,’ he added.
*Former Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews was speaking at the launch of the 2017/2018 Subway Schoolboy Football Association of Ireland Championships.