The Mail on Sunday

IRISH NOT SCARED TO ENTER LYON’S DEN

O’Neill insists his men can shock France but has the backing of only 5,000 fans

- From Ian Ladyman IN LYON

MARTIN O’NEILL’S reputation for managing over-achieving teams has never sat easily with him. At some stage, the Republic of Ireland coach would like to have competed on a more level playing field.

That opportunit­y, however, will not arrive in Lyon this afternoon.

The Republic’s reward for their magnificen­t defeat of Italy last Wednesday is a last-16 tie with France, the tournament hosts. The French will be well rested — having not played for a week — and will play in front of what will essentiall­y be a home crowd.

Strangely, and quite wrongly, Ireland have been allocated fewer than 5,000 tickets for today’s game at the 59,000-capacity Stade de Lyon. If this afternoon is to yield another famous Irish victory, substantia­l odds will have to be overcome.

‘This is a challenge but I have spent two years in qualifying sending out what I think are very adventurou­s teams,’ said O’Neill. ‘I don’t intend to change now. ‘I would not want to head out of the competitio­n meekly and that will not happen. I want to go down blazing if we have to go down at all. But we really want to stay in it and we think we can do something here.’

It would be unlike O’Neill if he didn’t draw on today’s circumstan­ces in terms of motivation. The disparity in ticketing has certainly annoyed him.

‘That is something I do have a gripe about,’ he said. ‘It is totally disproport­ionate for a stadium of this size and brilliance. It is pretty unfair in all honesty. France have had that opportunit­y [to buy tickets] having advanced three days before us, so it is going to be seriously one-sided.

‘But if my players have recovered in time from the other night and can show the same zeal and energy as they did against Italy then we will be up for it.’

Ireland appeared to be heading rather meekly out of Euro 2016 after a draw against Sweden and limp defeat by Belgium. But a performanc­e of spirit against Italy was capped by an uplifting late goal from Robbie Brady and the whole feel of Ireland’s tournament has changed.

At the stadium yesterday, France coach Didier Deschamps and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris talked about what they will face here. Lloris used the word ‘battle’ three times while Deschamps talked about Irish ‘spirit’. No slight was intended and Deschamps was quick to point out that the Irish team contains players of Barclays Premier League quality. Neverthele­ss, the point had been made. The French will face something today quite unlike that presented by Romania, Albania and Switzerlan­d in Group A, which may be the greatest weapon O’Neill and his players have. ‘I use this word [battle] because we are very familiar with the British sides,’ said Lloris of Tottenham. ‘They put a lot of heart into their performanc­es and we need to be committed from the outset to make sure they don’t grow in confidence too much.

‘And then we have to use the ball well to make a difference with our strengths.

‘This is the European Championsh­ip at home and we are the team to beat.

‘As we’ve seen in the group games, the opposition have added motivation to bring down the host nation and that will be an aim for the Irish. We need to be ready.’

Lloris is one of three survivors in the current French squad from the World Cup qualifying play-off tie between these nations that was settled by a Thierry Henry handball goal in 2009. Ireland have a few in their ranks, too.

Happily neither side were keen to dwell too much on that when asked yesterday. What’s done is done, after all.

Deschamps was in lively form, taking mock offence at questions about Dimitri Payet and Paul Pogba. Both players have been the topic of debate during the last two weeks, Payet the player of the tournament and Pogba unsure of his place in his coach’s plans.

‘Even when he’s not here you

still get me talking about Paul Pogba,’ smiled Deschamps.

‘He had a slightly trickier match in his first game, came on well in the second and had a very good first half against Switzerlan­d.

‘He’s ready. He’s needed a bit of calmness to prepare well because I know he’s someone who creates a lot of hype and he is still a young player. Occasional­ly he needs a bit of calmness and focus.’

The suggestion here was that Pogba needs protection. The multiple Serie A winner would probably disagree and should start today.

Extra time and penalties could be needed and both coaches admitted to putting their players through some practice. One feels if O’Neill was offered a shoot-out right now, he would take it.

‘On the training ground all the players want to take them,’ said O’Neill, smiling.

‘It tends to be different on the night. I have seen seriously great players down tools in such situations — in European Cup finals and the like.

‘So we will see. But yes, we have practised them. We are ready.’

 ?? Pictures: CLAUDE PARIS/AP ??
Pictures: CLAUDE PARIS/AP
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 ??  ?? UNDERDOG: O’Neill aims to silence the majority French fans
UNDERDOG: O’Neill aims to silence the majority French fans

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