Here are Martin O'Neill's main thoughts from his final Euro 2016 press conference
“Sweden got us off to a really fantastic start, even though it was only one point. Pride and disappointment, I think I said it was at the time, in equal measure, because we didn’t get all three points, which we should have done. Then it was not so good against Belgium. We didn’t play with the same intensity, we kept giving the ball away rather cheaply, I felt, and that was a surprise given how well we had done against Sweden.
“But we rolled it back against Italy, had a really good performance, and that was the one that cemented the relationship between the fans and the players and the country. And, after Sunday, with the messages we had been getting from Ireland, I think people are very proud of the team.”
“I genuinely think the fans have grown to love the team, love the effort they put in, and I think the players couldn’t have done without them during the course of the competition.”
“I think my contract officially ended a minute and a half after the result, when we were out but I don’t see that being an issue, I have agreed with John (Delaney) and I would be happy to continue on, if he still feels that way. I would like to keep Roy. I think he will decide for himself but, absolutely, he has been great for the team and great for everyone,
“I will sit down with him and if he wants to stay with us, that would be great. To a certain extent I’m misleading you: those conversations have mostly taken place. I think he would like to do it and I think we’re pretty well all in place if the FAI board want us to continue on.”
“That decision will be up to the players, but I would like to say the players you’ve mentioned — and I include Glenn Whelan — have been really terrific around the team. I wouldn’t have been without them.”
“I feel Belgium have as individually talented a side going. France – you look at (Paul) Pogba on Sunday: what an athlete, what a player, so strong. How can Manchester United even be thinking about having an argument over the contract with him? France will come out of our game with renewed hope, amazingly, having just beaten us. They will do. Because I would say that has been their best performance in the competition. It’s taken them into the quarter-final and they’re at home. And there’s a very decent chance both UEFA and the French nation will combine so that they get 98% of the support. It will be interesting to see how many tickets (their opponents) get — and if they get more than two and half per cent, we will be up in arms.”
“The only disappointment I have is the second-half against Belgium. If there is anything to learn, this is it: that when you concede a goal it’s not the end unless it’s the winning goal in the last minute. You get your composure back and stay in the game —that’s what we will learn. But we were capable of playing tournament football. We tried to play it, and the biggest thing was we played brilliantly under pressure from Italy.”
“Have I enjoyed it? Immensely. It was brilliant to be involved in. When I used to watch from afar I saw the Irish fans coming in great droves to support the team and having a decent time, and that all came to pass.”
“The humour they had. The stories coming back.. the backroom staff showed me one of those YouTube things of the nun on the train where they were singing ‘Our Father who art in heaven’. I think that was brilliant and I think she was mesmerised.”
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