Irish keen to avoid friendly French

Martin O’Neill is hoping Ireland don’t get France in tomorrow’s Euro 2016 qualifying draw. And it has nothing to do with Thierry Henry and ‘The Hand of Gaul’.

O’Neill’s problem is with the fact that, in an unprecedented move, UEFA are allowing the hosts of the finals in two years’ time to participate in one of the qualifying groups, even though the games they play will be regarded as friendlies, with no points at stake.

The move, according to UEFA, is designed to ensure that the French have enough warm-up games in the build-up to the finals, something which previous tournament hosts have struggled to achieve. But, in common with many other critics of the initiative, Martin O’Neill is not impressed and doesn’t think that drawing France – in what would in reality be a five-team group – would do Ireland any favours.