Paul story isn’t a tall story lads
JIM CRAWFORD wasn’t in San Marino 17 years ago when Ireland scraped a 1-0 win in injury-time thanks to Stephen Ireland.
But his assistant Paul Mcshane was and memories of that humiliating scare still scar.
“We have all suffered shock results in our career,” said Crawford (inset), the Irish Under 21 manager whose side plays San Marino tonight in a European championship qualifier.
“Paul has been in this environment here. So, he knows, we all know, that if you start cutting corners, taking your foot off the pedal, there are consequences.
“And the one thing I don’t want is when the final whistle goes that you’re saying to yourself ‘could we have done more?’.
“So, yes, Paul has had his little bits to say with players about avoiding complacency and I’m confident that we have a group here that are professional, are disciplined and give everything on the pitch.”
We’ve seen them do that so far in this campaign, a last-gasp win over Turkey preceding wins away to Latvia and at home to San Marino.
While those results have offered them a glimpse of qualification, reality has kicked in.
Five games remain.
Two of those, away to Turkey and Italy, are considered possible rather than probable wins.
That means a match like this has to be emotionless and calculated.
Midfielder Joe Hodge said: “All week the message from the gaffer has been the same: for us to approach this game with the right attitude.
“The group is going to come down to the final day; so we have to make sure we are on the right end of results this time.”