Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
S-MART MONEY STILL IN HANDS
MARTIN O’NEILL has warned against thinking Ireland are in a straight fight with Serbia to book a place in next year’s World Cup.
At the half way point of Group D, Ireland and Serbia are locked on 11 points apiece, with Wales and Austria four points adrift.
Ireland will welcome Serbia and Austria to Dublin this year, with victory over Austria in June surely ending their hopes of qualification, but O’Neill is not ruling anyone out.
Having seen his own side fight back from a seemingly weak position at the halfway point of Euro 2016 qualification to make it to Finals, it’s no surprise.
“Naturally the next game against Austria is a massive game for us, as it is for Austria as well,” he said. “Contrast this to the Euros qualification, and I know the qualification criteria was a bit different because there was a possibility of a third team qualifying, but after we had drawn with Scotland in June 2015, there was a lot of doom and gloom.
“While we never thought that, others did.
“So my point is this, why would Wales think negatively? They may have dropped points, thus far, but they are actually unbeaten in the group.
“Now the expectation of the Welsh supporters has obviously gone sky high because of their exploits in the Euro finals, but despite that, they’ll think they are capable of going out to Serbia and get a result, even without Gareth Bale.
“Austria, too, will think they are capable of getting a result in Dublin. So we need to be conscious of that.”
O’Neill will be without skipper Séamus Coleman for the visit of Austria, thanks to Neil Taylor’s horror tackle on the Everton full back last week, but O’Neill is keeping his fingers crossed that other walking wounded will be available.
“Some of the backroom staff – who have been involved with the squad for a lot longer than I have – they were saying they thought this was the worst set of injuries they have ever had to deal with. In one aspect, the consolation is that it wasn’t a double header (last week).” EVERTON boss Ronald Koeman has again criticised Ireland boss Martin O’Neill after seeing the Toffees beaten 3-1 by Liverpool.
Koeman previously claimed in a tweet that James McCarthy — whose fitness has been the subject of an ongoing spat between the two — started pre-season three and a half weeks after Ireland lost to France in Euro 2016, rather than 11 days, as O’Neill suggested.
Koeman (left) called O’Neill’s remarks “really unfair” before adding: “If you react please at least be informed.”