Martin O’Neill believes that Austria will be looking to make amends for their poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign as they host the Republic of Ireland in Vienna on Saturday evening.
Ireland’s opponents are looking to bounce back from their recent 3-2 defeat in Serbia, while they have also dropped points to fellow group rivals Wales, drawing 2-2 at home in their most recent qualifier.
Marcel Koller’s side came into this campaign under the cloud of a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, where Austria failed to progress to the group stages of the tournament despite having eased through their qualifying campaign and being tipped to impress.
The Ireland manager acknowledges that tomorrow’s opponents have looked ordinary at times in recent games but he believes that they are a very good side who will remain in contention throughout this campaign.
“Suddenly, they can spring into action and look like a very good side,” said O’Neill at this evening’s pre-match press conference at the Ernst Happel Stadion.
“I think they are a very good side. They’ve come home from the Euros very disappointed because they would have expected to have done better than that.
“That said, they drew with the team that actually won the competition, Portugal, so I think they are looking to make amends.
“They started off brilliantly. That win in Georgia will prove to be a very, very, big win indeed.
“So I think that Austria will be one of the sides who are there or thereabouts at the end, regardless of tomorrow night.”
The Ireland manager also spoke of his side maintaining their unbeaten start to the campaign going into the New Year, with such a long lay-off until the next competitive game against Wales in March, but insisted they will be targeting a win.
“For us, remaining unbeaten over the Christmas period and going into March naturally gives you a boost," said the Derry man.
"There is no question about that and any point away from home in international football or club football is still considered, even by the very best sides, to be a good result, so it will be difficult.
“Our attitude is to go out and play on the front foot and be positive and try and go for it, which we tried to do in Serbia, and we came away with the draw, which we tried to do against Georgia, where Seamus Coleman's great goal got us a hard-earned victory.
“And against Moldova, after conceding a poor goal before half time, we fought back in the second half, so we have got plenty of spirit about the team.”
Tomorrow night’s game will bring down the international curtain for 2016 and a positive result from the game in Vienna will put Ireland in a very favourable position going into the game next March.
And by the time Ireland play Austria in the return fixture in Dublin on 11 June, O’Neill will have a much better idea as to his side’s chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
“Regardless of tomorrow night, our destiny is in 2017,” said O’Neill.
“We will have played three games away from home, and one at home and we will level that up some time in June. But this is still a very important game, don’t get me wrong.”
Looking ahead to the game, the Ireland manager also spoke about the big players in the side standing up and rising to the occasion.
While the Derry man will not confirm his starting XI until an hour before kick-off, it is expected that Harry Arter will make his first competitive start for Ireland as James McCarthy is ruled out through injury.
“He’s raring to go,” said O’Neill about the midfielder. “He has been doing pretty well for Bournemouth. But I wouldn’t be putting it down to one particular game.
“It would be great if he is selected that he does well. But over the period of the next two years, you are hoping to see the very best of him and you would be hoping that he would be able to add something to our squad.”
One player who will certainly be starting is captain Seamus Coleman and the manager has faith in the Everton defender to inspire his team-mates to perform to their best tomorrow evening.
“Big players, like Seamus Coleman, rise to the occasion. He has played a lot of big games in the past few seasons and he is capable of inspiring players in big games.
“I know it’s the most clichéd phrase in the world, but games like tomorrow night are what you’re in the game for.”
Watch Austria v Republic of Ireland on RTÉ2 from 4pm and listen on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport from 2.45pm.
