Euro 2016 qualification depends on which Ireland turns up against Bosnia

Two stats stand out from Ireland’s rollercoaster of a European Championship qualifying campaign — four points from six against world champions Germany and one from six against also rans Scotland.

It’s that kind of maddening inconsistency which makes it so hard to predict with any kind of confidence the outcome of the play-off against Bosnia, which has its first act here in Zenica tonight.

We know that the home side have stellar talents in the shape of Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic.