HIS WONDERS
FOR WAND &
knee injury in February. O’Neill, meanwhile, has told his players to seize the moment as they prepare to make history.
He joins Peter Doherty and Billy Bingham as one of only three managers to lead the province out at a major tournament, but is confident his players will grab their chance.
He said: “They’re ready. I don’t think I’ve ever felt a team has been as well prepared in the four years I’ve been in charge.”
While the name of star player Robert Lewandowski has gatecrashed much of the build- up, O’Neill insists the Bayern Munich striker isn’t the only player to keep an eye on.
He said: “We’ve looked at other good players, the likes of Grzegorz Krychowiak in particular in the midfield. We have a lot of respect for Poland.” LUKASZ FABIANSKI has warned Northern Ireland they are living in Euro cuckoo land if they think Poland are a one-man team.
Michael O’Neill’s men face the Poles in Nice this evening with all the focus on Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski (below bottom) – the feared striker who top scored across Europe in qualifying by smashing 13 goals.
But Swansea’s Pole in the goal insists his country have threats that can hurt Northern Ireland all over the field and any comparison with Wales and Gareth Bale is flawed.
Fabianski (left) said: “When I speak to Neil Taylor or Ashley Williams at Swansea, they talk about defending with Wales and then just trying to give the ball to Gareth Bale to hit the opposition on the break.
“But I would say we have more offensive options than just Robert Lewandowski, because we have a striker who plays for Ajax Amsterdam, Arkadiusz Milik, who is scoring goals as well.
“Then, we have a player who plays in France, Kamil Grosicki, who is dangerous and Jakub Blaszczykowski, who plays in Fiorentina (on loan from Borussia Dortmund) who gives us goals as well and works hard for the team.
“The good thing about us is when we have won in the recent games the other team is so focused on trying to defend against Lewandowski, other players get the chance to score a goal.”