Stephen Kenny stays positive as Covid-19 intrudes on Slovakian squad

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny during a Republic of Ireland training session at Tehelné pole in Bratislava, Slovakia. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“We have to change the mentality of the whole country,” said the Irish boss before a make-or-break game against Slovakia in Bratislava. “We’ve never done well away from home against the big countries but we’ve looked on draws as great results, which they’re not unless we qualify.”

It didn’t exactly work out for Steve Staunton 13 years’ ago. An injury-time equaliser from the hosts confined the Republic to a 2-2 draw that left them dangling from the precipice. Ireland still had three games to go in Group D but their Euro 2008 ambitions were done. The Czech Republic stamped on their fingers days later with a 1-0 win in Prague.