No distractions – it’s about getting the job done against Austria, insists Brady
WITH his tan already topped up, Robbie Brady’s sole focus now is ensuring the Republic of Ireland remain top of their World Cup qualifying group after Austria visit in a week’s time. While plenty of Premier League stars will be sunning themselves at this time of summer, Brady already managed to squeeze in a trip to Dubai with his fiancée before meeting up with some of his Burnley teammates to let off some steam after a season he admitted was ‘stop start’.
But, after missing Ireland’s 0-0 draw with Wales through suspension, the Dubliner insists he is eager to make up for lost time and end any lingering hopes Austria have of closing the four-point gap between the sides.
Only victory can guarantee that Martin O’Neill’s men maintain their place at the summit of Group D heading into the business end of the campaign.
‘I don’t think anybody is thinking about holidays. There are no distractions this week or next week,’ Brady said, before sucgames. cinctly stating Ireland’s only aim. ‘Just get the job done.’
‘It was a tough one last time [against Wales]. I was in training for the full time the lads were in, so it was a hard one to watch. I have been waiting. I can’t wait for these games coming up.’
Today’s clash with Uruguay is the second warm-up friendly, following the 3-1 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey, and while Brady’s presence alongside O’Neill suggested he would once again captain his country in the absence of Séamus Coleman, the Ireland boss was in playful mood when asked for confirmation of whether or not the 25-year-old would wear the armband.
‘This Robbie? I was wondering had we two… I haven’t decided. Just because he’s sat there… it’s only because I like him,’ O’Neill deadpanned, before reiterating Brady’s assertion that everyone in the squad is fully focused on the task at hand.
‘I don’t think it’s even been in doubt that players do want to come. I’ll give you an example, we have young [Stephen] Quinn who has not played for some considerable time and just asked would it be alright to come and join in for the week.
‘He knows the players, it is a chance to get some fitness. He won’t be considered obviously for the He just wanted to come. I don’t want people to think this is just a free for all and anybody can turn up because some of the older players who have retired 15 years might want to arrive.
‘It’s an important game for us now. In terms of players thinking about being on holiday, since I’ve come in, three years ago we’d the trip to America, we played some games and I think it was great for us.
‘We’ve had the Euros, we’ve had games the previous year against Scotland that went on to mid-June as well. It’s the same for a lot of teams. I don’t think that’s a problem, the players are used to it as well.’
Following the disappointing performance − and result − against Mexico, the Derry man’s spirits have been buoyed by the arrival of those reinforcements who had been given extra time off following their respective club seasons.
Brady, John O’Shea, Stephen Ward, Jeff Hendrick and Jonathan Walters linked up for training on Friday with Glenn Whelan and Harry Arter joining in yesterday.
‘I want us to have as good a preparation as possible before Austria so there are really no excuses for us in terms of the physical aspect of it,’ O’Neill said.
‘The Championship players have missed out for quite some weeks, so the trip to America was great for them. The Premier League players finished much later and had a little break and will be ready to go. ‘This game against Uruguay is ideal preparation for us – a tough game and maybe a similar game to Mexico where the lads will be tested to the full. Hopefully by the time the game finishes we don’t have any serious injuries and we can then prepare ourselves for the Austria game.’ Today’s starting XI against the South Americans will give an indication as to how O’Neill will approach next Sunday, but he insisted that experimenting with 3-5-2 against Mexico was a necessity. ‘I never had a problem looking at the systems, I know there’s an obsession about them but what’s the point in changing after 15 minutes because you’ve gone a goal behind? I don’t think you learn a great deal from that,’ he insists.
‘You have to see it through, through a bit of a tough time. Sometimes it may not be the system, but the way that you play it. But we had to try it because there’s no point if we have to go all out attacking against Austria, maybe chasing the game or whatever the case may be, getting players forward. We may have to leave a couple two-on-two at the back, three-on-three at the back and they have to be able to cope, that’s the whole idea about it. They have to be able to cope.
‘Full backs, centre halves going out to positions that they’re unaccustomed to, things like that that should be second nature to players but if they haven’t been doing it regularly it’s going to be difficult. So we might as well practice it.’
But, as Brady said, it’s all about getting the job done against Austria this time next week.