Martin O’Neill thinks critics are missing the point

Victories away from home in opening games have turned out to be hugely significant in Ireland’s last two successful qualification campaigns.

There was the 1-0 win against Armenia in Yerevan, courtesy of a Keith Fahey goal, at the beginning of the road to the finals of Euro 2012 — when Giovanni Trapattoni was still in charge — and the 2-1 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi, thanks to an inspired brace from Aiden McGeady, which got Martin O’Neill’s first campaign as manager up and running and led, ultimately, to the finals of Euro 2016.

The torrential rain and boggy surface in the old-school Red Star Stadium in Belgrade were visible signs that a memorable summer in France was already long gone.