RANDOLPH: TEAMS WILL FEAR PLUCK OF THE IRISH
DARREN RANDOLPH claims that no one will fancy facing Republic of Ireland for a place at the World Cup.
The Middlesbrough keeper put in a stunning performance in the 1-0 win over Wales which clinched his side a play-off spot.
And the 30-year-old reckons Martin O’Neill’s side will be viewed as one to avoid in the scrap to get to Russia next summer.
Randolph said: “Have we got it in us to make the World Cup? I think so. Teams might fear us rather than us having to fear them.
“We manage to keep things tight and then when we get a chance, we take it. We’re always going to be a threat to teams.”
Randolph insists O’Neill’s men don’t care who they are paired with after beating the odds to dump out Wales on their own turf.
Shaking
dream. I’m not going to be picky on who we get next or whether it’s home or away first.”
Randolph’s acrobatic save to keep out Hal Robson-Kanu’s header had 30,000 Welsh fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
And he even “took one for the team” when he was booked for persistent time-wasting near the end.
Randolph said: “They would have done the same in our situation. That’s part and parcel of football.” FIFA are investigating an alleged headbutt by Robbie Brady on Ashley Williams which could rule him out of the play-offs.
He said: “It’s two games – 180 minutes. We seem to get big games put in front of us and then it just brings out big performances
® from us.
“We fancy anybody now. We’re just happy to get through. Going to the World Cup is everybody’s