VIDEO: Wes Hoolahan explains non-start controversy in Ireland v Poland game

Wes Hoolahan has confirmed that he told Martin O’Neill he was struggling, ahead of Ireland’s final European Championship group game against Poland last month, having played 90 minutes with a heel injury in the famous win over Germany in Dublin.

And the playmaker says that, under the circumstances, he didn’t want to risk letting his team-mates down by putting himself forward for a starting place in Warsaw.

The Ireland manager drew heavy flak from Eamon Dunphy, amongst other critics, for not starting Hoolahan in that match, but the player has now supported O’Neill’s explanation for not deploying him until 70 minutes into a game which Ireland eventually lost 2-1.

“I was struggling with a heel injury, so I didn’t train going into the Germany game and I didn’t train after the Germany game,” Hoolahan reveals.

“It was tough, mentally and physically, playing the full game. It was a tough game. But I enjoyed it.”

However, going into the match in Warsaw just a couple of days later, Hoolahan was suffering the effects.

“Me and Martin had a discussion before the game,” he says. “Obviously, I didn’t train all week and I’d been taking painkillers. I spoke to Martin and Martin was fine. If you’re not fully fit then you don’t want to go into a massive game.

“You want 11 players wanting to do well and all being fit. You don’t want to let your team-mates down. I’m sure Martin appreciated it. He was happy that I spoke to him.”

And, leaving no room for further misunderstanding, the Norwich man insists that there was no pressure applied by his club to rule himself out.

“No, Norwich didn’t get in touch,” he says. “It was totally my call.”

By the time the game in Warsaw had reached the 73rd-minute mark, with Ireland a goal behind, Hoolahan was ready to answer his country’s call, as best he could.

“It was OK coming on for the last 20 minutes, trying to get the goal to get us through to France,” he says.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be but we have two big games coming up now and hopefully we’ve got a great chance of qualifying.

“If you said before the group that we had two games to qualify for the Euros, we’d take it.”

After the furore surrounding his curtailed involvement in the Poland game, the big question now, of course, is whether Hoolahan will, if his manager requires him, be able to see out both legs of the play off against Bosnia, beginning with tonight’s game in Zenica..

“Hopefully, we’ll see how the games pan out and see how it is,” he says.

“I have no concerns. I’ve come back here and have trained all week. The last time I didn’t train at all. Hopefully I’ll be alright.”

Having had to wait an inordinately long time to become an Ireland regular, the one-time Shelbourne man reckons that, as injuries and suspensions require other players to step up against Bosnia, the replacements will be hugely motivated to make the most of a high-profile opportunity.

“At the start, I wasn’t playing regularly but I was there or thereabouts and when you do play you try your best to do well to keep your place in the team,” he says.

“And that’s what the lads will be doing tonight and Monday. There are players chomping at the bit who want to do well, who will take the lads’ places that are suspended and injured and do as good a job as anybody.

“Lads that haven’t been in the squad or haven’t been playing, will want to impress and help us get over the line and get us to France.”

The last time Ireland reached the Euro finals, in 2012, Hoolahan was reduced to looking on from a villa in, of all places, Spain – not the ideal place to see Trapattoni’s team being humbled by the tournament’s eventual winners.

“I’m Irish through and through so I was rooting them on, wanting to do well and it was disappointing,” he says. “Hopefully we get another chance. It would be great. You know, I haven’t gone with Ireland to a major tournament so it would be the icing on the cake to qualify and go to France.t would be a great achievement for me and Ireland.”

But first up, there’s the equally novel experience, even though he’s 33, of an international play-off.

At club level, he’s been there twice, tasting success first in League One with Blackpool in 2007 and then with Norwich in the Championship decider last May.

So that would be a 100 per cent play off record then!

“Yes,” Wes Hoolahan agrees with a smile. “Hopefully that will continue.”