‘I can’t see the Danes standing in our way’
WHEN David Meyler was in his Leaving Cert year at Bruce College, a private school in Cork city, he made the decision to drop out and focus his attention on becoming a professional footballer.
He was 18 years old, relatively seasoned compared to most teenage Irish footballers who leave school after their Junior Cert in search of a career in the game in England. Meyler signed a full-time contract at Cork City but didn’t run his plans past his parents.
Instead, his father John, now manager of Cork’s senior hurling team, got a call in the middle of the day to inform him of David’s absence. In a panic, Meyler Snr got in touch straight away to be informed of his son’s new career path.
And so began his speckled journey — overcoming a career-threatening cruciate knee ligament injury in a staggering six months during his time at Sunderland, as well as tasting promotion to, and relegation from, the Premier League with Hull City — to this point where the midfielder was the voice of the Republic of Ireland squad ahead of tonight’s World Cup play-off second leg.
It is delicately poised at 0-0, but Meyler wasn’t tapering his ambi‘We’re tion accordingly as he insisted Denmark won’t be able to match their hosts. ‘I only see one outcome, I think Ireland are going to the World Cup. I don’t think anyone will stand in our way.
‘They are a very good team, very good players, but they don’t have the character and the heart and the desire that we have. I believe in the manager, I believe in the players, I believe in all the backroom staff. I believe in everyone and I believe we will go to the World Cup.
‘It’s the stuff you dream of as a kid. Everybody wants to play at a World Cup. We’re 90 minutes away from it. If you look back when we started the campaign, Serbia away, this is where we want to be. This is the goal. Obviously the Euros was a great experience and we can draw on that but we need to just go and perform and I believe fully that we will be going to Russia.
‘It’s simple. We have got to go and win a game of football. Every game we go into, we approach it the same way. Even the game away in Denmark, the lad said it was like trying to open a can of beans with your hand, it’s not like we are going to roll over and be easy to beat,’ he added, referencing Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney’s colourful summing up of what it’s like to play against Ireland.
not going to be easy to beat. We want to go and win the game. We want to qualify for the World Cup. We’re not going to lie openly and let Denmark roll us over. We just need to go out and perform and, as the manager said, we need to score goals. I believe we will.’
Stan Collymore was in attendance — in his capacity as reporter for Russia Today — and wondered what it’s like to play in front a fervent Irish crowd.
‘When they are with us and cheering us on, it gives everyone a huge lift. When you create a chance and that little urge that the goal is going to come, the fans suck it up for us and give it back in that little lift,’ Meyler explained.
‘As a kid, you dream of it. Looking back at the sacrifices I had to go through and to have this opportunity of being 90 minutes away from a World Cup is huge.
‘I don’t want to go out, none of us do. We want to qualify. We will do everything within our power to make sure we qualify.’
And Meyler should have that little bit more in the tank considering he was forced to watch the first leg from the stands after his late yellow card in the 1-0 away win over Wales.
He captained the side on that famous night in Cardiff — although manager Martin O’Neill refused to confirm if he would do so again — and is certain to be in the thick of the action tonight. He has become a vital presence in the middle of the park while on Saturday he played the role of jester among journalists hoping to speak with Ireland players as they left the dressing room.
Some, like Ciaran Clark, were taken aback as Meyler stopped and asked them questions. His good form continued when he was pressed about whether he would take a penalty if it should come to it, against Denmark.
‘Yes,’ he replied, before he was asked if had taken one before.
‘Yes,’ he continued, and was then asked if he had scored. ‘Yes,’ was his answer again. O’Neill then revealed that Meyler missed one in yesterday’s training session as the man himself was clearly relishing the chance to make a difference on the pitch as opposed to suffering through his watching brief at the weekend.
‘It’s a lot different when you are preparing if you’re involved and if you’re not, you’re kind of sitting there watching the game, kicking every ball, you’re screaming “run here, close here, tackle there”.
‘Obviously it’s a lot different than normal. The lads did very well the other night, now we need to continue that and make sure we go to Russia.’