Republic of Ireland Stephen Kenny says his aim is clear after signing a contract extension with the FAI earlier this week which will take him to the end of Euro 2024.
Germany was the country in which the Ireland first competed at a major championships 34 years ago, and the Dubliner is now targeting a return when the competition goes back there in just over two years time.
"The ambition is to go to Germany and qualify for the European Championships," he said.
"That's the big ambition - the dream - to go back to where Ireland started in their first ever European Championships."
After going 24 years without appearing in the competition, the Republic made back to back finals in 2012 and 2016, reach the last-16 of the latter tournament in France.
After a period of experimentation, Stephen Kenny anticipates further improvement from his Ireland side. pic.twitter.com/cOJ7ntb9XF
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) March 10, 2022
They missed out last time having lost a play off to Slovakia on penalties.
Kenny was in the job at that stage after Covid-19 pushed back the pan-Europe staging of the competition by a year. This in-turn pushed the fixture with the Slovaks back past July, the date of the end of previous manager Mick McCarthy's contract.
Thus, Kenny was thrown in at the deep end, but the Dubliner says he wants to get things right this time around.
"We want to go back to Stuttgart, or wherever it is," he said.
"No stone will be left unturned in attempting to do that. We have to try and achieve that, and do everything we can to get there with this team.
"They're all at different stages of their career. There are players who it's maybe their last opportunity to get to a European Champions, and some who have their whole careers ahead of them who want to make their mark in in international football."
At one point it didn't look like Kenny would make it this far.
The former Dundalk and Longford Town manager was under pressure when he failed to pick up a competitive win in his first 16 games in charge, with a friendly triumph against Andorra the only bright moment.
The team finally delivered last October when a Callum Robinson brace helped them to victory against Azerbaijan in Baku. Since then, their only defeat came in heartbreaking circumstances away to Portugal, when two late Cristiano Ronaldo goals turned the game on its head.
In just under two years in the job Kenny has also handed 16 players their first competitive starts.
"We've rebuilt the team over the last while," he said.
"The support have really connected with the players. It's been a radical change really. We've brought 15 players through our system, which is a radical shift. [These are] players that have come through the underage system, from clubs throughout Ireland, right into the senior international team.
"The supporters are identifying with the players. We're playing in a style that people can really get excited by, and relate to, and look forward to go to games.
"We know we still have a lot of improving to do. We want to continue to improve and we've big tests ahead, with the world number one team - Belgium - coming in a few weeks."
Having looked like his time with the national team might have been up, the Dubliner added that he wanted to concentrate on matters on the field for now.
"I appreciate all the support I get from everybody. I've a brilliant backroom team. Keith Andrews, the assistant manager, we've been together since the U21 team. He's been terrific; all of the backroom team, Dean Kiely.
"I've had great support from with the FAI, and from all the Irish supporters, both home and away, having been giving the players a tremendous lift.
"It comes with the territory and I understand that there is criticism. That's part of international management. It hasn't been straightforward, of course.
"We've had to come through a difficult period, so it's great that we can focus on getting the team ready for the friendlies, and for the Nations League.
"We've rebuilt the team. We're not looking to overly experiment anymore. We know what we have and there's a great connection between the experienced players, - who are great role modes for the younger players that have come in.
"There's a great spirit in the squad. You feel that over the last 10 games in particular, and over the last campaign. We've played better in some matches than others, but you can feel it growing and I feel we're going to get better again."
On the replacement of Anthony Barry, Kenny added that a new coach could be in place before Belgium come to Dublin on 26 March.
