Three main talking points for Irish football in 2017

Ireland’s clashes with Wales, involving two evenly matched teams, will be decisive next year, writes Liam Mackey.

Since reviewing the football year of 2016 still retains a faintly surreal ‘I-saw-it-with-my-own-eyes-and-I-still-can’t-believe-it’ quality — thanks Iceland, Wales, Dundalk, Robbie Brady and Leicester amongst others — it follows that any attempt to preview and predict the happenings of 2017 must necessarily come with a shrieking health warning of the ‘Reading This Could Seriously Damage Your Betting Prospects’ kind, the obvious exception, of course, being the cast-iron certainty that Leicester City will become the first team in history to be relegated and win the Champions League in the same season. (An irresistible punt you can now have at a generous 500-1, in case you’re interested).

Still, at least we have a fair idea of what some of the main talking points for Irish football will be over the next 12 months...