O’Shea: Trap won’t let complacency creep in

JOHN O’SHEA has admitted Ireland would have settled with the task of beating Estonia over two legs to qualify for Euro 2012 before the qualifiers began.

Ireland’s play-off opponents are 29 places below them in FIFA’s rankings and have never qualified for a major tournament. But O’Shea has warned that his side cannot underestimate a team that finished above Serbia, Slovenia and Northern Ireland.

And he says manager Giovanni Trapattoni will not allow his men to become complacent as they look to qualify for their first European Championship since 1988.

“Everyone is positive about the draw because you see the other teams we could have faced [Bosnia, Turkey or Montenegro],” said the Sunderland captain.

“If you had said to us beforehand that we had to beat Estonia over two games to qualify then we would have taken that. But they finished very strongly in their group, and you have to look at the other teams in there — they won in Serbia, Slovenia and Northern Ireland.

“If we needed a danger sign then we have it there with those results. But we have to be positive going into it. Is overconfidence the biggest danger to us? Not with our manager and the experience he has.

“But if we play well and are on our top game we know we should go through.’’

O’Shea’s international team-mate Kevin Kilbane is equally wary of Estonia’s threat. ‘‘I think we can get too carried away,’’ the Derby man said on RTÉ’s MNS show last night. “I’m seeing and hearing a lot of people commenting on how easy it should be and how clear-cut it should be that we go through. I think if we play as well as we’re capable of playing we should go through but nothing is clear-cut in football. We’re confident of going into the game and getting a favourable result over the two games but we certainly won’t be taking Estonia likely.’’

Having made 66 successive international starts, Kilbane has missed Ireland’s last four games through injury.

He is now on the comeback trail and hopes to do enough to force his way back into the team for the Estonia games.

“I had a full week’s training last week, back on the bench for last weekend. I’m just hoping to try and get myself involved in these coming weeks. But if the manager feels as though he’s quite happy with what’s been done over the past four games then I’ll just get on with it really.’’