By Glenn Mason
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has urged his players to keep alive their Euro 2016 play-off tie with Bosnia and Herzegovina before the second leg in Dublin on Monday.
O’Neill has had a less than smooth build-up to this game, with several players unavailable through injury and suspension.
However, he told reporters on the eve of the game in Zenica that they had dealt with those issues during the week and were prepared to face the formidable challenge of the home side.
"The most important thing is still being in the tie with a chance of victory on Monday night."
He said: "We will have to make adjustments because we are missing some players who would have had a very good opportunity to start the game.
“We have during the week in our mind some things that we think can work. There will be adjustments, hopefully not in our attitude to the game, but in personnel obviously and perhaps maybe style.
“The most important thing is still being in the tie with a chance of victory on Monday night. We want to stay in the tie. An away goal would be great.
“We want to thrust everything into the game. I think while you can’t win it here, you don’t want to lose it.”
Ireland have had a mixed history with play-offs for major tournaments. The successes over Iran (2001) and Estonia (2011), sit alongside defeats to Spain (1965), Netherlands (1995), Belgium (1997), Turkey (1999) and France (2009) in the record books.
O’Neill has experienced the high of play-off victory when he led Leicester City to the Premier League in 1996, thanks to a late Steve Claridge winner against Crystal Palace. He has the good memories and he’s not too keen on collecting any bad ones.
He said: “I suppose it is a bit like the play-offs at home. If you make it into the big league the players and managers will tell you there’s no better way. If it doesn’t happen then it will be painful.
“But we’re here and have got to give it everything we’ve got. We can’t leave anything behind us and I think that’s the mood of the players.”
With the return leg just three days later at the Aviva Stadium, O'Neill believes that the team handling the physical and mental pressures will be well placed to go through to France next summer.
“You can draw all sorts of conclusions from the eventual result but I think handling the game is important mentally and physically,” he said.
“It’s a very important match particularly for the players, like Richard [Keogh]. It would be great to get to France.
“We have some players coming towards the end of their careers and we have some younger players, but for all exactly the same feeling occurs - to qualify for France would be fantastic. The mental and physical side in such a quick turnaround is very important.”
As for danger man Dzeko, O’Neill admitted that they had spent some time working out how they could limit his influence, but he is acutely aware that the Bosnian threat does not just come from the former Manchester city striker.
“He’s a very, very important player. We’ll deal with him accordingly,” said O’Neill.
“He’s a very difficult opponent as he’s proved throughout his career. We have got to know him from Manchester City and he’s now plying his trade with Roma. Obviously just mentioning the fact that you are talking about Manchester City and Roma in same breath suggest he’s very good player.
“He’s not the only decent player they have and we have to work exceptionally hard to keep him at arm’s length. I’m sure it will be a lively atmosphere. I think it’s nothing that the players shouldn’t be able to cope with.”
In a lighter moment, O’Neill gave the media a glimpse of how desperate he is to join his namesake, and Northern Ireland boss, Michael, at next summer’s European Championships.
He said: “Since I'm from Northern Ireland, I'm delighted with them qualifying. Michael has deserved it, he has done very, very well indeed and it's been a great effort by them.
“Obviously I think it would be fantastic if both countries could qualify for the competition. I was involved with Northern Ireland way back in 1982 in the World Cup, and it was just really, really fantastic.
“It was a fantastic time and if you go there and perform well, it's a real added bonus.
“We have still to get there. At least Michael is there and tonight, I'm quite sure he's having a cigarette somewhere, smoking, enjoying himself, the same with Roy Hodgson and the same with Chris Coleman.
“It's great. I feel envious that they are in those positions. I'd like to join them on Monday night if it's at all possible – and so will my counterpart here in Bosnia, he will feel exactly the same. It would be nice.”
