Martin O’Neill calls for cool heads in Vienna cauldron

The Irish team is preparing for an evening in Vienna which should be at once bone-rattlingly cold and hot as all hell. 

The undersoil heating in the Ernst Happel Stadion ensures that tonight’s World Cup qualifier won’t be threatened by a predicted heavy overnight fall of snow in the Austrian capital but, for Martin O’Neill, it’s beginning to seem that, after a pea-souper in Bosnia and a deluge in Belgrade, Ireland always bring the weather with them on away days.

“We’re in for an interesting game of football,” O’Neill deadpanned after being made aware of the forecast.

Of rather more concern for the manager is the prospect of his team having to overcome an Austrian side which might well feel like it’s already effectively fighting for World Cup survival. Mind, O’Neill hasn’t forgotten the lesson that, last time out, his own team found itself on the back foot after this stage in Euro qualifying.

”I do think it’s a long way to go,” he said. “A number of teams in the group are quite closely matched. From our own experience when we were trying to qualify for the Euros, we lost our fourth game against Scotland and it left us with a long time to the next match to think about it. But we battled on and got through, while Austria went through the qualification group so easily.

”Obviously, they would be disappointed if they lost but I don’t think that would be the end for Austria. They were one of the pretty strong teams in the group to begin with and I’m sure they’ll feel that if they win their home games, they will be right back in it. They also had a big win in Georgia which I think will prove to be a very difficult place for other teams going there.

“Austria can suddenly spring into action and look a very good side. In fact, I think they are a very good side. They come home from the Euros disappointed, they would have expected to do better but, that said, they did draw with Portugal, the team who won the competition.

“They started off brilliantly in this campaign with that win in Georgia which I think will prove a very big win, indeed. Then, with Wales riding high, I don’t think any of us was really surprised by a draw in that game, while losing in Serbia would not be the end of the world. So Austria are one of the sides who’ll be there or thereabouts at the end, regardless of what happens tonight.”

Of rather more importance from the visitors’ perspective, of course, is how things will look for Ireland at the final whistle, begging the inevitable question if O’Neill thinks a point would be a good result for his side.

“For all the years I’ve been involved as a player and a manager, I don’t know how you plan or play for a draw,” he said. “But if we were to remain unbeaten going through Christmas into March, that would naturally give you a boost, no question about that. Any point away from home, in international football, club football or European football, is still considered a good result by the best sides at club and international level.

“But I believe that, regardless of tonight, our destiny is in 2017. By the end of tonight, we’ll have played three games away from home and we will level that up some time in June. This is still a very important game, don’t get me wrong, and our attitude is to go out and try and be on the front foot, be positive and try and go for it. We’ve got plenty of spirit about us.”

The Irish team trained at the stadium last night and, assuming James McClean didn’t suffer any fresh reaction to his back problem from earlier in the week, he should be able to take his place in the starting line-up. That would be a particularly welcome boost to Ireland’s attacking threat, given the absence of Shane Long and Daryl Murphy.

“James scored a couple of goals in the last game (against Moldova) and did exceptionally well,” O’Neill observed. “And when Shane (Long) went off, Jon (Walters) went to centre-forward and played excellently, laying on the goal for James, so we have a number of alternatives.”

And what, the manager was asked, of the prospect of Harry Arter — after an Irish experience that’s been more stop than start so far — getting to make his competitive debut?

”He has been doing pretty well for Bournemouth and he’s fit,” O’Neill confirmed. “He’s raring to go. It would be great if he’s selected and does well but, overall, you’re hoping in the next two years that he will be able to add something to us.”

Whatever about the weather conditions, tonight’s game will be Ireland’s first away match of this campaign to have a real whiff of the big occasion about it. In contrast to the sparse attendance in Belgrade and the intimate setting in Chisinau, the Ernst Happel in Vienna will be full to tonight’s 48,000 capacity, of whom not many more than 3,500 will be rooting for the visitors.

Sitting next to Seamus Coleman yesterday, O’Neill said he expected his team to follow the captain’s example and be inspired not intimidated by this evening’s big match setting.

”This is a big game and I think big players — like the man to my left — rise to the occasion,” he said. “He’s played a lot of big games in the last few seasons in his career and he’s capable of inspiring players in big games. So I think it’s one of those things you should look forward to. I l know it’s the most clichéd phrase but this is exactly what you’re in the game for. To experience the big international or Champions League games as a player or a manager, if at all possible.”