Martin O’Neill endures the worry game

While the flicker of springtime crept out of the skies in Paris yesterday, Martin O’Neill had nothing but summer thoughts consuming him as the challenge of Euro 2016 strikes sharply into focus.

Everywhere O’Neill turned or looked at the swish Pullman Hotel – where Uefa hosted a workshop of all 24 qualifiers – reminders of the task awaiting in France greeted him.