John O’Shea warns lose to Scotland and we’re on rocks

After a long build-up and various sub-plots being floated, Ireland’s John O’Shea has cut through the froth surrounding this evening’s Euro 2016 qualifier to revisit first principles.

Martin O’Neill may be putting on a diplomatic face by declaring defeat against Scotland won’t derail Ireland’s qualification prospects but his vice-captain, who will skipper the team should Robbie Keane be kept in reserve, has a different outlook.

Asked if the message emerging from the Scottish camp this week that the pressure is all on Ireland represents mind-games, O’Shea didn’t flinch.

“Mind games? Oh my God,” he retorted. “Look, we need to win the game if we want to qualify for France. It’s very simple and there’s no getting away from that.

“No matter who we were playing tomorrow, we need to win the game, so they (Scotland) can say what they want.”

Whatever about the ramifications of losing the tie, the opposite outcome carries the potential for O’Shea to reach his second major tournament in what will likely be his last campaign in the green jersey.

“There are still a lot of games to go after this but this a massive match against Scotland. It’s one we are well prepared for and one we are looking forward to,” said the Waterford man ahead of his 104th cap.

“There’s a mixture of everything in this squad. Good energy and plenty of vibrancy with the likes of Seamus Coleman, James McClean and Jeff Hendrick. We’ve plenty of experience in the team to win games.

“We came back to get a point against Poland in March and now it’s about bringing the way we finished that game into this one.

“We’re the home team and the fans will have an important role. No doubt they’ll be as excited about the game as us. The competitive home record isn’t the best but let’s start changing that.

“We can do that against Scotland, there’s no reason why we can’t once we perform as we can.” If Ireland are to do what they failed against Georgia, Germany, Poland and the Scots away by keeping a clean sheet, O’Shea must keep quiet his Sunderland team-mate Stephen Fletcher.

In Gordon Strachan’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system, Fletcher usually occupies the most advanced position and netted his first international hat-trick in the demolition of Gibraltar in March.

Together they helped keep the Black Cats in the Premier League last month but aerial battles between O’Shea and Fletcher, like the ones in Glasgow last November, are expected to be a feature of a cagey tie today.

“Obviously there won’t be too much laughing and joking just before the game, but afterwards, it will be the same,” said O’Shea who has overcome the calf strain that forced him to be substituted in the stalemate against England last Sunday.

“You shake hands and you get on with things whatever the result was.

“But look, you know the player, obviously you get on very well with the player, but ultimately, you want to beat him, that’s it.

“Fletch is a good player but you don’t just look at the attacking players. You have to assess the whole package and, without a doubt, Scotland will be a good test for us.

“They have some good, not just attacking players, they have good players all over the pitch. That’s why we know it will be a good test but one we are looking forward to.”