Martin O’Neill trusts players to maintain match focus

Martin O’Neill is trusting that his players will go the extra mile in keeping themselves sharp and focused in the long post-season run-up to the friendly against England on June 7 and, more crucially, the Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland on June 13.

“That is true, absolutely,” said the manager. “I mentioned this to them this time last year when we did the long trip to America and, in fairness, almost to a man they were happy to do it.

They’ve gone to those lengths at the time to do those matches in America so (this time) I think they’ll want to be up for it — they’re pretty decent matches to be involved in so you’d want to be at your best if you could be.”