WE’RE WAY OFF

Ireland lagging far behind top sides - O’Neill

After the one-sided 2-0 defeat to France in Paris on Monday, O’Neill accepted his team’s shortcomings, speaking of the absence of ‘quality’ and what was needed to turn things around.

‘When we have the ball, we have to try and use it a bit better,’ demanded O’Neill.

‘It’s been difficult to try and get goals, and to create chances. That is something we must strive to improve,’ he said.

‘I don’t think we can ever stop trying to make chances and create things, either one-on-one situations or a little one-two, and not to be depending on set-pieces.

‘And, yeah, it’s about having that quality. You saw that quality in abundance in the French team. That is what we’re trying to get to. It’s a long stretch but we have to try and do it.’

O’Neill has seen Alan Browne, among others, struggle to make the transition from MARTIN O’NEILL has acknowledged the size of the task facing the Republic of Ireland as they seek to close the gap on the international elite.

Championship to the international arena. ‘This is a massive stepup, it’s incredible. The opposition we faced is not the player, with respect, that young Browne is playing against every single week. ‘Talking about the step up — it’s day and night,’ said O’Neill, who has no regrets about tackling a team of France’s calibre on their own turf. ‘To me, the friendly games for some of these players is to try to find out what they’re capable of in the length of time they play. ‘And, secondly, that if they are chosen then at least they have some experience of international football so when the main event [Nations League] comes they are ready as they possibly can be.’ O’Neill (left) believes James McClean can be rejuvenated at Stoke City should his proposed £4m transfer from West Brom go through. The 29-year-old Irish winger is top of Gary Rowett’s summer shopping list and O’Neill can see the potential benefits of a McClean move to the Potteries. ‘I think that particular manager [Rowett] when he was at Derby tried to buy James in January — and for one reason or another it didn’t materialise,’ said O’Neill. ‘I think James would feel if this was a chance with a manager, who liked his contributions and gives him that opportunity to play more matches, than he perhaps was doing at West Bromwich Albion, then I’m sure he’s definitely in favour of that. ‘James is one of those players who definitely needs to play matches. While he’s very, very fit, that would certainly give him a certain match sharpness that he needs. ‘If [the move] it did materialise and that’s what he wanted, I think it can only be good for him.’ On the flip side, another Championship player in the Irish ranks is not ideal for O’Neill in the broader scheme of things. Ahead of the USA game on Saturday night (8.08pm) at Aviva Stadium, Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick (back) is being assessed while Millwall’s Shaun Williams has left the squad as he is getting married this week. John O’Shea, 37, will captain the side on his 118th and final international appearance.