TEAR-JERKERS
Jonny Evans said he is “really composed”. He claimed the mood in the camp is “relaxed” and that “we’re just carrying on our preparation as normal.” Then Northern Ireland manager Michael O’neill invited his squad to the the video room and Evans changed: “You feel yourself getting emotional,” he said.
Northern Ireland’s players in Belfast are in the happy position of being caught between apprehension, calm and excitement.
The team O’neill has forged is a tight unit with self-knowledge and the experience of clinching Euro 2016 qualification on an unforgettable night at Windsor Park two years ago.
But a play-off against Switzerland brings the prospect of World Cup history, a firstin-a-generation moment and O’neill is not slow to remind his players of the stir they can cause in the streets beyond Windsor Park.
Evans is trying to maintain his equilibrium. Given that he burst into tears when the Irish defeated Ukraine at Euro 2016 – tears met with indifference by his younger brother Corry – and that he thinks reaching Russia would “eclipse” being in France last summer, it is a task to contain himself.
“To achieve something second time around always feels better and I’m sure we will look at it as a bigger achievement,” the older Evans said of following Euro 2016 qualification with a place at the World Cup. “We have to reproduce the hunger and desire to go through it again. For a team like us to be able to do it would be a real achievement, and I
Every time you play an international Michael [O’neill] puts these motivational videos on – you feel yourself getting emotional
JONNY EVANS think it will eclipse that [Euro 2016]. We’re all really composed and that’s a good sign. We can’t wait for it.
“I still get emotional. It’s a weird thing. Every time you play an international Michael