TON UP, BUT NOT READY TO GIVE UP...
Greece v Northern Ireland
Nations League Group C2, KO 7.45pm
JONNY EVANS is adamant he can reach another major tournament with Northern Ireland as he prepares to win his 100th cap tonight.
Evans (scoring against Belarus in 2019, above) regards the victory over Ukraine at Euro 2016 – the North’s first win at a tournament since 1982 – as the best moment from his 99 caps.
And he believes he can savour another night like that because of their new generation of players.
“It’s always great to see the young lads coming through and some have shown real promise,” he said.
“Conor Bradley (below) was outstanding the other night, Shea Charles came onto the scene in the summer and that’s what we want to see, young lads making an impression.
“Hopefully they will be able to take the country forward.”
Evans, who made his debut in Northern Ireland’s famous win over Spain 16 years ago, says he wants to carry on playing for his family.
The centre-half, 34, says seeing his two-year-old son singing on his way to Windsor Park in a Northern Ireland kit for Saturday’s win over Kosovo motivates him to keep making them proud. “I saw a little video of my boy – he’s going to be three in November – and he’s got his Northern Ireland kit on and he’s singing all the way to the stadium,” said the Leicester man.
“My wife said, ‘There’s no way you can retire, you’ve got to keep playing’. Things like that make you just want to enjoy it. You’re doing it for your family.”
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough reckons Evans is invaluable as he tries to take Northern Ireland, who meet Greece tonight, forward with confidence to the Euro 2024 qualifiers in March.
“It’s just a privilege to manage both him and Steven Davis, they’re an inspiration,” said the 51-year-old.“It’s invaluable to have someone like Jonny still playing at the highest level. We lean on him as much as possible.”
The Irish FA have cleared Baraclough to take Conor McMenamin to Athens after he was withdrawn on Saturday because an old video of him singing in support of the IRA came to light.
Baraclough is glad to have McMenamin back as the Irish bid to match Cyprus’s result tonight and avoid relegation to the Nations League’s fourth tier.
“It’s in our hands and, if we come away with a win, then that’s job done,” he added.