IT’S YOU AGAIN!

Eriksen can derail Ireland’s Euro bid, McCarthy warns

MICK McCARTHY has been given every incentive to break from the traps in the Euro 2020 qualifiers as the Republic of Ireland open up with a doubleheader against Gibraltar away and Georgia at home in March.

‘It’s a matter of getting the lads going right away and getting a result,’ said McCarthy after a draw of promise in Dublin yesterday.

Some familiar foes stand between Ireland and a place in the finals after they were drawn in Group D alongside Switzerland, Denmark, Georgia and Gibraltar.

Ireland have met the Danes four times in the past 13 months, in the World Cup and the Nations League, while Georgia were opponents in the Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

If Ireland can establish a foothold in the eight-game campaign, qualification could boil down to a winner-takes-all showdown with the Danes in Dublin on November 18 next year. A year ago, the Danes ran riot at Aviva Stadium and McCarthy has identified Christian Eriksen as the dangerman.

‘I’ve seen them play against us. They are a competent

team, Eriksen makes them a better team because of his star quality,’ he said.

McCarthy, who is set to recall Sheffield United striker David McGoldrick into the fold, is wary of Gibraltar’s plastic pitch.

‘It will be a pitch the lads don’t like training on, or playing on,’ he said.

McCarthy (left) is targeting a return of the old Lansdowne roar from his first stint as manager.

‘If we can get back that atmosphere then we have a chance. That will help us and if we don’t, it’ll make it a lot harder [to qualify].’

Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic is braced for a bounce effect from Ireland with McCarthy in charge.

‘A new coach can lead to improvements but what makes me much

more worried is that they don’t concede a lot of goals,’ said Petkovic.

Jon Dahl Tomasson, the Denmark assistant manager, feels Group D is a three-way duel between the Swiss, the Danes and the Irish. ‘I think you have three teams who could go through. We are one of the favourites,’ he said.

‘I think when new people come in, things will change a bit. We know we played four games against Ireland recently, and we drew three, won one.’

Georgia’s Vladimir Weiss faced Ireland twice in the last World Cup qualifiers and believes his team can go one better.

‘It’s time to win against Ireland, for the first time in history, I hope. We got the draw [1-1] in Georgia but we played better in Dublin and lost 1-0,’ he said.

Gibraltar expect to play their home games on the artificial turf of the 2,000-capacity Victoria Stadium on The Rock.

‘We had to play in Portugal for a number of years, but we played our Nations League games at the Victoria Stadium,’ said coach Julio Cesar Ribas.

UEFA chiefs revealed that a record three million tickets will be sold for the Euro 2020 finals, an increase on Euro 2016 as 11 of the 12 stadia have a capacity of more than 50,000. After total revenues of €1.9billion from France, UEFA are targeting the €2bn mark in 2020, with slightly higher prize money for all 24 finalists.

All 12 host nations receive a fee from UEFA for staging games and games will kick off at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm Irish time.

There will be two ticket prices, yet to be announced, but games in London will cost more to attend than those in Baku.

Should Spain and Ireland, who are co-hosting Group E, both qualify for the finals, a decision is needed as to who will have three games at home, in either Bilbao or Dublin.

‘If two co-hosts qualify for the finals then the decision on which country stages three group games at home will be done on sporting merit,’ explained Lance Kelly, UEFA’s head of national team competitions.

‘So, a team that qualifies directly will have three games ahead of a team that qualifies through the Nations League play-offs. Should both teams qualify directly, a draw will be made to decide who stages three group matches.’

It remains to be seen if Ireland decide to join forces with Scotland for a possible Euro 2028 bid – the nations previously applied to stage Euro 2008 but lost out to Switzerland and Austria.

‘If Ireland bid to co-host a European Championship, it is possible in the future the country could stage it. It depends on the countries that join together,’ said Martin Kallen, CEO of UEFA events.

Meanwhile, UEFA last night launched a third competition, provisionally called UEL2, to sit below the Champions League and Europa League from 2021. UEL2 games will be played on Thursdays and will give more countries a shot at Euro club involvement

Meanwhile, the FAI are checking on the potential eligibility of Sheffield United defender, Jack O’Connell.