IRISH READY FOR A FIGHT
MARTIN O’NEILL came out fighting last week to defend his achievements and the Republic of Ireland manager has also backed his players for what he feels is unwarranted and over-the-top criticism.
In the build-up to the 1-0 win over Wales which secured a World Cup play-off place, David Meyler criticised the media for promoting a sense of ‘doom and gloom’ following the draw away to Georgia and defeat by Serbia.
And the hero of Cardiff, goalscorer James McClean, also revealed that the Ireland players used the criticism as inspiration to earn a place in the upcoming do-or-die duel with Denmark.
‘If you’re written off, you’re written off as a team, not just a player,’ said O’Neill. ‘We had points on the board early on and people were looking at it as if this was a major lapse then.
‘But the games were difficult. That kind of motivation would be used pretty often.
‘But what I think you have to do is put certain things into context and over the couple of years here, if you went over the things that have been written, you’re pretty quick to nail us here halfway through a competition.
‘I wouldn’t start drawing all these analogies but I don’t see Aidan O’Brien talking about a horse having won over four furlongs with another three furlongs to go. You have to wait and see what happens over the line.’