I’ll lead Ireland to Euro 2020, insists Martin O’Neill

By Liam Mackey

Displaying levels of confidence and self-belief that — in the aftermath of a deflating 1-0 home defeat to Wales which took a winless run of competitive games to five — will be variously interpreted as defiant, determined, or delusional, Martin O’Neill has unequivocally expressed the conviction that he is the manager who will lead Ireland to the finals of Euro 2020.

“At the end of the day we’ll have people ready for the games,” he said in an uncompromising exchange with daily newspaper journalists. “And I’ll be ready and we’ll go through. Simple as that.”

We’ll go through to the Euro finals?

“Yes.”

You’re saying that now?

“Absolutely.”

What gives you that optimism?

“Because I’m good.”

But you need good players too?

“Yes, we do need good players. We have a couple. I know you can’t keep talking about missing players, and that’s true, but we’ll be right. We’ll be right.”

And there was more in a similar vein in another part of the media briefing when he was asked if he feels he is now facing his biggest challenge as Ireland manager.

“Of course. Absolutely. It’s definitely a challenge. And it’s a challenge I’m up for.”

When can you deliver?

“I’ll win.”

You’ve never shirked responsibility?

“I actually don’t think I have, believe it or not. Regardless of what people think, I’ve never shirked the responsibility. I’ve never really turned on the players. Not that I need to, not with the effort they put into the games, which is phenomenal. We’re short of some things but in terms of spirit and drive and determination, it’s absolutely there. We can turn the corner.”

You have those qualities too?

“I’ll win. (Pause). I’ll win.”

The bigger question, of course is whether O’Neill will get the chance to prove himself right and his many critics wrong. The manager has repeatedly declared his belief that, though the Nations League did offer the possibility of a backdoor route to the Euro 2020 finals, the real business of qualification for Ireland will only begin next March.

There have also been recent reports suggesting that, regardless of how the Nations League panned out for his team, the FAI had already given him reassurances to that effect.

However, following Tuesday’s game, O’Neill denied that the matter had come up for discussion with his employers. “I’ve never had that conversation with John (Delaney) and certainly haven’t had it with the board,” he said.

“This (Nations League) was an opportunity for us to try to really compete strongly. Whatever you say about the competition, it doesn’t guarantee you anything at the end of it all.

“You would be hoping that in March, when we actually start in earnest, that we might have some senior players back. It never really works out like that but even so, we hope that with some of them back, we’ll give it a real go.

“I’d still like to have made a better fist of these games. I’d like to have competed very strongly, particularly in the first game in Wales. It’s disappointing that we got one point from three games. But the competition starts in earnest in March, with the draw made in December.”

Disappointment for Ireland in the Aviva... #COYBIG #IRLWAL pic.twitter.com/fpDrOr30Kq

— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) October 16, 2018

O’Neill also said he is not unduly concerned about Ireland going into that Euros draw in Dublin as third seeds.

“I don’t think that has made a real difference to me,” he said. “We were fourth seeds in the World Cup and we got through to the play-offs. So it hasn’t been a real problem.

“You look at some of the sides who might be seeded thirds and you could turn around and think there’s not a phenomenal difference.

“All I know is in my time here, in the World Cup and the Euros, that the draws are difficult for us anyway. But I don’t think it will make a significant difference.”

The Derryman reiterated that, while hurting from the loss to Wales, he retained the hunger and determination to carry on.

“I don’t think I could have made a career out of management if I didn’t have hunger and determination, the same approach I had as a professional player,” he said. “Every single defeat I’ve ever had I’ve hurt. Absolutely. I think it’s hurting the players as well too, so that’s some sort of encouragement.”

And while Roy Keane said in a recent interview that, at some point in the future, he would be open to a challenge in club management that would “rock my boat”, O’Neill suggested that, while nothing can be guaranteed, he still expects to have his assistant by his side heading into 2019.

“I think there’s always been a possibility of Roy (returning to club management),” he acknowledged.

“It’s fine whatever he does as long as the FAI are happy with that if the case comes up. But also, he’s always shown great loyalty too, he’s never left the cause. You know Keane as well as I do. Well, even I’m still learning. I think he’s won in his life. He’s driven a top quality side — including the manager of Wales — to great things and I think together we will make it.”

Asked if he could explain why Ireland have gone from one defeat in 11 games to five without a win, O’Neill replied: “You’ve seen the games. I don’t think you always need an explanation for certain things. You’ve had a look yourself. We went into the Wales game shorn of quite a number of players. In the scheme of events that doesn’t really matter because in three months’ time nobody ever remembers what the side is. So you have to try to win the game, you have to try to compete. I think we’ve done that and we’ve certainly improved since Saturday night — we could easily have won.

“We were chasing the match in the last 25 minutes and there’s always the chance of Wales getting a second goal on us but that’s a chance you’re prepared to take.”

On the Declan Rice saga, the manager indicated he would like to see the issue resolved one way or another before the end of the year.

“There’s a stage when no matter how talented you are, you have to come to some sort of decision,” he remarked.

O’Neill made a momentous decision of his own when, having been courted by Stoke City in January, he opted to recommit to Ireland because, he explained at the time, he didn’t want his last act as international manager to be the 5-1 hammering by Denmark in the World Cup play-off.

Asked if, instead, his dream now is to bow out as the manager of an Irish team playing Euro finals games in Dublin, he replied: “Yes. That’s exactly right.”