Scott Hogan on the radar as Martin O’Neill seeks firepower

If Martin O’Neill had his way then Euro 2020 would have been the preserve of one host country.

Maybe two.

As it was, he found himself in Dublin’s ISFC yesterday morning surrounded by tournament brand logos for an event spread across 13 cities including the Irish capital and he couldn’t help but get caught up in the buzz and thoughts of what it will mean for the country in four years’ time.

“If this is a one-off and it works fantastically well then perhaps…I would have been more down the traditional route of doing it in one particular country, or co-hosting it with another country pretty close by,” he explained. “It will be interesting to see how it goes.”

Hosting four games is one thing but it would be quite another were the Republic to feature in some of them. Qualify and the plan is that the hosts would be guaranteed two group ties on home soil with the third being played in a so-called ‘twin’ city within a certain flight time.

Indications are that would most likely be Brussels or Amsterdam in Ireland’s case.

O’Neill was con-committal when asked if he would fancy hanging around the national dugout until Euro 2020 ... “who knows?” was his stock reply - and John Delaney was similarly keen to stress the heres and nows when asked about any further contract extensions for the management team down the line.

The Derryman’s stock is certainly at its highest since taking over.

News broke before the unveiling of Dublin’s 2020 logo yesterday morning that the Republic had jumped ten places up FIFA’s rankings to 23rd on the back of their 1-0 win in Vienna this month. It is the side’s highest perch since sitting 18th in 2012.

“I do think they are sometimes a bit quirky and I don’t change my mind on that,” said O’Neill of the listings. “But if you are going to take something out of it, it’s very very pleasing. The players, it will give them a lift if they haven’t had a lift from the Austria game.”

All of which amounts to little of immediate significance.

The Republic sit top of Group D after four rounds of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but there is a widespread acknowledgement that the side possesses insufficient scoring threat and O’Neill confirmed yet again that he plans to speak to Scott Hogan sooner rather than later. The Brentford striker has hit ten goals in 18 appearances in the Championship this season but has confirmed his desire to concentrate on club football in the short-term as he attempts to bank a run of games after a series of injury misfortunes.

“I’d hope to speak to the agent and speak to him. I’d follow it up so the next time you speak to me, I’ll definitely have done it. We definitely need someone who can score goals regularly and I think he can do that. His work in the penalty box, he can take chances, there is no question about that.”

Ireland’s resources at the far end of the pitch have been similarly stretched in recent times but the elevation of Darren Randolph above Adrian for West Ham United’s last Premier League game was a considerable boost for Ireland’s confirmed number one.

Randolph had been making do with cup starts this season and last as manager Slaven Bilic favoured the Spaniard in the league but the Irish keeper followed up his outing away to Austria with the rare start against Tottenham Hotspur in the 3-2 defeat at White Hart Lane.

“He’s been great for us,” said O’Neill. “I saw the moment back again where the Austrian fellow hit the bar (in Vienna) and he’s come out really quick and he’s forced the boy to lift it over him. If he can stay in (at West Ham) great for him, and it’s great news for us too.”