No matter what, O’Neill is a legend
HOw THEy quALIfIED: 1st in Group F; P10 W6 D3 L1 21pts. Hungary (a) 1-2; Faroe Islands (h) 2-0; Greece (a) 0-2; Romania (a) 2-0; Finland (h) 2-1; Romania (h) 0-0; Faroe Islands (a) 1-3; Hungary (h) 1-1; Greece (h) 3-1; Finland (a) 1-1.
COACH: Michael O’Neill
MICHAEL O’NEILL was rewarded for leading his team to the Finals with a bumper £2m, four-year contract. Not bad for a guy who, just 10 years ago, was on a part-time wage at Brechin City.
His managerial history may be relatively low key, but success is a key theme of his story so far. After moving from Brechin to Shamrock Rovers in 2008, he won two league titles and became the first manager to take an Irish side into the group stages of the Europa League.
However, what he has achieved with Northern Ireland has eclipsed everything, and, whatever happens in France, his status as a legend is already secure.
STAR PLAyER: Kyle Lafferty
IT has not been an inspiring season at club level for Kyle Lafferty – but he is still the man most likely to spark Northern Ireland at the Finals.
Like many of his team-mates, he plays his football outside of of English football’s top flight, but that is a reflection of inconsistency rather than a lack of ability.
As Rangers fans can testify, on his day he is an exciting talent. It’s just that he doesn’t seem to have many.
Fortunately for Northern Ireland fans, playing for his country seems to bring out the best in the Norwich City striker.
ANALySIS:
AFTER 30 years of waiting, many Northern Ireland fans had given up hope of ever seeing their team at a major tournament again – then Michael O’Neill came along.
After a slow start as boss, the former Dundee United player has somehow turned a squad completely lacking in stars into a formidable outfit. First place in qualifying Group F tells the story.
Even their own fans thought they didn’t have a hope of reaching France after an uninspiring fifth-place qualifying finish for the 2014 World Cup. That they got the job done is an incredible achievement.
What can they achieve? Is progression beyond the group stages possible?
Given that they will face Germany and Poland, it seems a big ask, but if they can display the same level of commitment that got them to France – and they get the luck they deserve after such a long wait – then why not?
“It would be an amazing achievement for us if we can reach the knockout stage but that’s what we have to hope to do,” says their manager. “Only eight teams go home after the group stage and my aim is not to be one of those teams.
“It won’t be devastation if we don’t because we’ve already had the high of going, but that’s what we aspire to.”
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone other than their Group C rivals who would be anything other than chuffed to bits if they manage it.