Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WHEN Hamsik is OK for big BULLY Euro clash MET BILLY
Gilmour had to learn fast after mixing it with Maguire
MAREK HAMSIK will be unleashed on the Republic of Ireland in their Euro 2020 play-off.
The Slovakia star has not kicked a ball this season as the start of the Chinese Super League was delayed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.
His club Dalian Professional – managed by Rafa Benitez – has been stuck at a pre-season training camp outside Marbella for the last month.
But the former Napoli playmaker, 32, is raring to go ahead of the play-off in Bratislava on March 26.
Slovakia boss Pavel Hapal said: “Marek will be 100% prepared.
“His team is now in Spain and he’s getting ready for the match so he will be in our team.”
Ex-liverpool boss Benitez said Hamsik and his team-mates have taken every precaution at the Westin La Quinta Golf Resort and Spa in Benahavis.
“We have to control everything daily – our temperature and washing our hands,” said Benitez.
“We’re training normally because we don’t have any sick players.
“Madness was created and it’s hard to control that.
“We came to Marbella but it’s been almost a month.”
Meanwhile, Slovakia manager Hapal is confident the play-off semi-final will go ahead as planned but UEFA won’t rule out moving it behind closed doors or to another city.
Currently there are no cases of the coronavirus in Slovakia but that is not the case in neighbouring nations Austria and Czech Republic.
Hapal said: “It’s not up to us but the health of the people is the priority.
“We hope that we will be playing with a full stadium of fans.”
FIVE months ago it was like a scene from Grange Hill as Harry Maguire grabbed young Billy Gilmour like a sixth-former stealing lunch money at school.
On Tuesday night Gilmour showed he had learned from the experience, running the show for Chelsea to send Liverpool out of the FA Cup.
Now he can’t wait to repay Manchester United centre-half Maguire for the Carabao Cup duffing-up back in October.
“Basically he was saying I’m a wee guy,” said
ex-rangers midfielder. “He was pushing me off, gripping me by the throat, and that’s something I have to deal with. But I won’t let that happen again. That was a lesson.
“Obviously he is going to try to bully young players and that’s where I need to learn how to be stronger. I’ve been working on that and I can only get stronger. But, yes, definitely, when he gripped me, I remember that really well.”
Chelsea’s delighted fans loved seeing Gilmour nutmeg experienced Liverpool midfielder Fabinho on Tuesday, receive the ball in tight spaces, and pass his way through the runaway Premier League leaders. There was more than a touch of a teenage John Terry about the way he ordered around older teammates with Premier Leagues, World Cups and European trophies under their belts.
“I’m not here to be just a player being quiet,” he added. “I need to tell folk to get into position. It’s the same when people tell me.
“That’s how I get better and that’s how they get better. Just telling folk to help out. I have to communicate because it’s especially important in my position.”
Had he noticed Scotland manager Steve Clarke in the stands on Tuesday night? “I was actually speaking to Liverpool’s Scotland left-back Andy Robertthe son, and he told me after the game. He told me to keep doing what I’m doing.”
The infectious enthusiasm of Gilmour, who was spotted carrying a Playstation before the Liverpool game, was mirrored by the supporters who chanted his name and toasted the emergence of yet another top talent at Stamford Bridge.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is already a fan and tweeted his approval after the game.
“Fantastic,” said Fabregas, referring to Gilmour’s performance. “He had personality on the ball and intelligence in his decision-making, he was always making angles to offer himself, and he has that bit of aggression in him which is very important, especially in the Premier League. When you have the quality but also the desire, the work ethic and the intelligence, you have real potential. He has all of that.”
Glasgow-born Gilmour, who grew up watching Fabregas, was delighted to hear of the Spaniard’s seal of approval.
“When I first came to Chelsea we were given Individual Action Plans and you had to focus on one player. Mine was Cesc. I loved how he played. So I just went and watched videos of him. Now I’m older I’ve tried to put it into the games and it’s working. He’s a role model.”