CALL UN’ ME
IRELAND v HOLLAND Ogbene saw cause for hope even in Paris loss
CHIEDOZIE OGBENE reckons the defeat to France is the perfect wake-up call for tomorrow’s must-win clash with Holland.
And he feels being put to the pin of their collar by the World Cup finalists is just the preparation Ireland needed before facing the Dutch.
Ireland’s slender hopes of a top-two finish in this group hinge on whether they can beat Virgil van Dijk and co at Aviva Stadium.
There is no margin for error in a game that will determine whether Ireland can fight on for automatic qualification — and whether Stephen Kenny can stay in a job.
So much is riding on the game but new Luton Town recruit Ogbene insists the players cannot dwell on the 2-0 loss in Paris against a vastly superior team.
Holland have been below par under manager Ronald Koeman, who is feeling the heat since the opening 4-0 defeat to France in Paris, albeit missing some key players.
But they stuffed Greece 3-0 in Eindhoven on Thursday night, a team that Ireland went down to in Athens in June.
And it is that costly 2-1 defeat that has damaged Ireland’s qualification hopes more than anything as the team limps on to tomorrow’s main event.
Experience
Ogbene said: “I think Holland will be as good as France. The Dutch have good experience in this competition. We’ll take nothing for granted.
“We’ll do our homework and try and get a positive result that we need — any sort of good result to help us control our destiny in this competition. Nothing is over.
“The France game was a good gauge for us — young players — to see how far we’ve come and how far we need to go to compete against these countries.
“We haven’t played players of that calibre and it gives us a gauge of where we are. I can only speak for myself in the first half. I gave a sloppy pass away.
“Stuff like that is what cost us in this game. That’s a wake-up call for me, that I need to be focused during the game. No matter what.
Player
“You come up against nations like this. If the game was tight and that sloppy pass was to the wrong player, you’re 1-0 down.
“Playing these kinds of games gives us a gauge where we need to tidy up. If we get it right and compete against nations like this, give yourself the right chance.”
Ogbene was the Irish player of the match in Paris but, by his own admission, it wasn’t a perfect display and he felt the honour should have gone to a defender instead.
While he counter-attacked well, he also lacked the belief to leave his calling card in the final third and checked back on himself too many times.
In attack, Ireland lacked any sort of risk in their play but Corkman Ogbene knows they can leave nothing behind in a must-win game against Holland.
“I want to take the Republic of Ireland to Germany and experience what it is to be in the Euros and see if we can go from that to qualifying for the World Cup,” he said.
“Everyone is emotionally engaged in this competition. We all want to qualify for Germany and do well for the nation.
“But it’s not as easy as it says, just to move onto Sunday. We have to do it. We had 24 hours for Thursday to sink in and let our thoughts run wild.
“After those 24 hours you have to move on because we have a big game tomorrow and if we win that we’re back in the running.”
And Ogbene continued: “The most important thing is to make the right decisions in games. If you make the right decisions, you can help them team out.
“When I go into games I try to use my strengths, my God given gifts. Pace, I try to exploit it. I know the left back is quick.
“I just have to find ways to take the team up the pitch and win fouls or get the players into play. That is why I’m in the team. I’m not in the team to do anything else.
“That’s what I enjoy doing, to help the team by stretching the pitch to let the midfielders get into the game.
“It just wasn’t enough on Thursday night.”
Changed
VIRGIL van Dijk has been hit with a further one-match ban and fined £100,000 after admitting using “abusive and insulting language” towards referee John Brooks when being dismissed at Newcastle.
That means the Liverpool defender (below) will miss the Premier League clash with Wolves on September 16, following the ruling of an independent regulatory commission after the FA charge.
Van Dijk has already served a one-match ban for the red card, picked up when he was deemed to have fouled Alexander Isak in the penalty area, during a fiery contest at St James’ Park.
The FA issued their verdict and punishment yesteday, following a separate charge after there was an uproar over the defender’s behaviour towards the officials after being dismissed, with video footage picking up some industrial language.
There were calls for the skipper to be hit with a far longer ban to set an example, as the FA attempts to clamp
down on abuse.
Admitted
But he seems to have been treated lightly after admitting the charge, with the FA saying in a statement: “The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent regulatory commission.”
While on international duty, Netherland skipper Van Dijk said: “That was not typical for me.”
YOURI TIELEMANS has had a showdown with Aston Villa boss Unai Emery about his lack of first-team opportunities.
Belgium midfielder Tielemans, who joined Villa on a free transfer from Leicester in the summer, has started just one match, a Europa Conference League play-off tie against Hibernian.
Speaking while on international duty, Tielemans (inset) said: “I have spoken to the manager of Aston Villa about the fact that I am not playing.
Players
“He now chooses other players but it is up to me to do my best. He said there would still be opportunities to play.
“That explanation doesn’t help me much but I hope I can show myself a little more in the coming weeks.”