Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NORTH v SOUTH IS PERFECT
MICHAEL O’NEILL believes November’s showdown with the Republic of Ireland is the perfect warm-up for the climax to Northern Ireland’s UEFA Nations League campaign.
It was confirmed yesterday that north will meet south for the first time since the 2011 Carling Nations Cup tie in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, November 15.
The fixture comes three days before O’neill (above) and his men play the final group game of the inaugural Nations League against Austria at Windsor Park.
The new-look tournament, which offers a back door route to the Euro 2020 finals, kicks off at home to
Bosnia and Herzogovina on September 8.
Away games follow in Austria and Bosnia in October, before the campaign concludes with a potentially defining game against the Austrians in Belfast the following month.
O’neill said: “With the UEFA Nations League a potential route to the tournament, this means we will be as prepared as possible for the Austria match.
“UEFA made it mandatory that we play a friendly on that date and when we looked at options across Europe, travelling to Dublin to play the Republic made a lot of sense.
“It means we can stay on the island for the week, train in our usual environment and play a game that will be a good test for us ahead of the Austria match.”
O’neill is also relishing going head-to-head against Republic boss Martin
O’neill who is pitted against Wales and Denmark in the Nations League.
He said: “I am looking forward to managing a team against Martin, a manager I hugely respect and admire.”