Republic of Ireland skipper Seamus Coleman has said he is proud of Michael Obafemi for earning his first senior cap against Denmark as the Everton man looks to take on an even bigger influence in the Irish set-up.
The 0-0 draw in Aarhus did little to lift the mood of Irish football with next to no attacking threat against the Danes, but Martin O'Neill's side did secure a clean sheet.
Firstly, reflecting on a game which had few incidents, he told RTÉ Sport: "We could only take tonight on tonight. We couldn't think of the year as a whole. A clean sheet away from home is a positive.
"We still need to be beter in attack and the rest but the players and management can look at the clean sheet as a positive.
"I know it wasn't the prettiest of games but we had to dig in. We can take some pride in the clean sheet."
But it was in Coleman's review of the year that more prevalent thoughts came up as he looked to find some reason for optimism.
The Irish captain said that players within the Ireland group have to take on the roles of previous 100-cap players in leading the team on the pitch.
The assessment saw the 30-year-old look very much at himself and players of equal stature.
The former Sligo Rovers man told Tony O'Donoghue: "There's no way of dressing it up. It has been a disappointing year. There is no doubt about that. It's been a learning curve for myself and the other lads who have 40 or 50 caps.
"We don't have Richard Dunnes, Robbie Keanes, Damien Duffs to carry us through any more. We have to take on that baton. Maybe some of us haven't done that strongly enough.
"The new lads coming in will have learnt a lot from this year. In a way that is some sort of positive. Mentally we can be a lot stronger going into the games in March. That is the way you have to look at it.
"We're capable of big nights. We can't forget that. It hasn't been a good year. But as I said mentally we can learn a lot.
"Personally I learned a lot and some of the older lads have learned a lot that we need to step up a little bit more. Come March, I have no doubt about it that we'll be ready. I truly believe it."
Michael Obafemi hugs his mother Bola after the game in Aarhus after making his @FAIreland debut.
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 19, 2018
Photo via @Inphosports pic.twitter.com/FrXsbjyQSo
Coleman said that Southampton striker Obafemi had done enough to warrant his first cap and that the debate over which country he would choose to play for was not a factor in coming on the pitch.
"It's great for Michael. He is a really, really nice young lad and he has been great around the camp. As a player he is good and strong. Hopefully he can go back to club level and kick on.
"You have to earn these caps. He earned his cap"
"We don't want to put too much pressure on Michael but I suppose we are looking for a goalscorer. As I said, it shouldn’t be case of giving a cap because someone might go elsewhere.
"You have to earn these caps. He earned his cap. He has a big smile on his face carrying his shirt around in the dressing-room. We're very proud of him."
