IT’D BE NICE TO TIE DOWN RICE

Euro 2020 hosts. “That’s the nature of the game,” O’neill told Mirror Sport yesterday. “I’m seriously not too worried about the pressure. It’s not to say it isn’t always there but I’m not 35 stepping into management for the first time.

“I saw Frank Lampard – who is four games in at Derby – saying the win the other day was a big result for him. People were starting to look at two defeats in three. This is four games into his managerial career – four games!

“I went to Wycombe Wanderers and people said, ‘It’s a good move to go down the leagues and learn your trade’. That’s an absolute nonsense. You could get bombed out of there and never get a job again.

“Thankfully it went well but had it been a failure I might not have had the chance to manage Leicester City or Celtic.

“So wherever you go, there will be pressure on you. I want to do well for the Republic of Ireland. I want to go to these competitions – 6 Wales v Ireland, Nations League, Sep

Oct 13 Ireland v Denmark, Nations League,

Nov 15 Ireland v Northern Ireland, Friendly, that was my biggest joy, travelling to France in 2016 knowing we were bringing 50,000 people with us – absolutely fantastic. To me, it was all worthwhile for those games.

“That’s what I wanted to replicate with the World Cup and the disappointment becomes greater because you didn’t manage it.

“There’s pressure for a 33-year-old manager in, say, League Two and I’ve gone through all of that.

“I don’t have to do it. I could think about doing something else. But I enjoy it and of course there’s pressure in terms of losing matches.

“That’s the nature of the business. If I lose the games, what can happen? Someone else will take over. But I want to see this through and try qualify and be in Dublin for some of the Euro games. That won’t be easy but we’ll give it everything we’ve got and that’s all I can ask of myself.”

New beginnings are driving him forward. O’neill is determined to move on from Denmark but knows others won’t when Ireland pitch up in Aarhus to face them in November. He said: “I didn’t quite realise at the time that

Ireland got smashed here by

Denmark in Liam Brady’s day so I don’t know how long people want to…

“We’re into September now and that game was in

November. It’s a fairly lengthy time. We haven’t played a competitive game but that’s international football.

“In the meantime, teams have moved on and some teams have played 40-odd league games in that time.

“I’d hope at some stage or another that if we’re drawn against Italy in the next 30 years that someone remembers we beat them back in 2016.”

WORLD OF PAIN O’neill is caught on Aviva big screen as Danes dish out play-off mauling in November MARTIN O’NEILL has scheduled weekend talks with Declan Rice to ensure he is nailed down with Ireland amid fresh interest from England.The West Ham youngster, 19, has been a revelation since making his senior debut in Turkey in March.And he added to his haul in the summer friendlies against France and USA.But O’neill yesterday revealed that England boss Gareth Southgate remains keen on the teenager. London-born, Rice has played for the Boys in Green all the way through the underage ranks.And while he has always maintained that he is happy to play for Ireland, he can still declare for England until capped in a competitive game.Ireland face Wales in Cardiff in the Nations League opener on September 6 – and if Rice plays, he will be tied to them.O’neill remains cautiously optimistic that Rice will want to play on with Ireland ahead of the squad announcement on Monday.He told Mirror Sport: “We’ve had discussions with Declan. England are looking at his situation so nothing is certain until it’s across the line.“But he has enjoyed playing with us and the U21s. He has thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ll speak to him over the weekend and I’d hope that he knows that this Wales game is you committed. That’s the point he’ll have to take into deep consideration.“I think people know me by now. I’m never calling anything over the line until it’s there. Until someone is absolutely and totally committed, that’s just it. It’s me being ultra cautious.”Rice has endured a tricky start to the new Premier League season and was subbed at half-time in the heavy defeat away to Liverpool. Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini then dropped him for the loss against Bournemouth.But O’neill believes Rice will see the shaky start as character building. He added: “It’s a learning process he has to go through and it has come early to him. But I think these things will stand him in good stead for the rest of his career.” NEW BALL GAME Martin O’neill has parked loss to Danes and now wants to focus on future FITTING IN Declan Rice faces France in summer friendly