Stephen Kenny believes that his side can raise their game at a packed Aviva Stadium to secure their "best victory yet" as they take on the Netherlands in Sunday evening's Euro 2024 qualifier.
The Ireland manager believes that his side are capable of getting the "win that we need" to play themselves back into contention to qualify for next summer’s Euros.
Ireland are currently struggling with just three points from four games, however, a victory over the Dutch would bring Kenny’s side level with the Netherlands, albeit with a game more played.
Looking ahead to the game, the manager believes that Ronald Koeman’s side are coming to Dublin off the back of their best performance of the campaign, however, Kenny is convinced that his side can go toe-to-toe with their Group B rivals.
"It's a great game, Sunday night in Dublin, in the Aviva Stadium, the anticipation, it's a sellout for a long time, people are excited about the game, it has a real edge to it," said Kenny, speaking at the pre-match press conference.
"Holland have a great tradition, they've had a lot of great teams. This Dutch team had a strong World Cup and lost on penalties to Argentina, and they still got to the semi-finals of the Nations League as well but didn’t start so well.
"[That] was their best performance against Greece, they changed things around tactically and they played very well. So it's a very, very tough challenge ahead against Holland but one that we're happy to embrace and take on. We're excited by the game.
"Holland have players of the highest calibre, players with the top clubs. We've gone toe to toe with some of the best teams and we must raise our game and get our best victory yet as a team, that's what we'd have to do and that's the challenge for us.
"We know a victory is important for us, we'll prepare as well as we can after just coming back on Thursday night, make sure we're ready.
"The players are clear on how we're going to play and we'll certainly be tested against this team. We'll have to match them, and we are capable of doing that, and we have to show the belief and conviction to try and get the win that we need."
Kenny was, once again, reminded of the famous Ireland win back in 2001, when the victory over the Dutch proved vital in qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, however, the manager said that he would not compare the two situations, but rather feels that his team are capable of making their own history.
"We're not comparing ourselves to the team of 2001, they had some of the best players to ever play for Ireland.
"We're an emerging team. We've shown a capacity to raise our game in front of our own support, our passioned sport, and we've put in some very good performances at home there.
"We'll need the supporters to help us do that, we need that energy in the ground, we need that high octane support to be really passionate and get behind the team and give the players energy."
Kenny confirmed that Enda Stevens and Will Keane had been ruled out following the France game, and added that late call-ups Sinclair Armstrong and Jonathan Afolabi could possibly see some action, as the two strikers were called into the squad following the France match to take the place of Evan Ferguson and Will Keane, who are both ruled out through injury.
The manager has lamented his lack of striking options, with six forwards unavailable for Sunday’s vital European qualifier against the Dutch, and he was full of praise for both of the new arrivals.
Armstrong has been making a name for himself, breaking into the QPR team in the Championship over the past two seasons, while former underage star Afolabi is having a remarkable season in the League of Ireland leading the line for Bohemians.
"Sinclair Armstrong has come in, he played for QPR in the Championship this year consistently, his rise has been quite meteoric," said Kenny.
"We probably wouldn't have anticipated him moving so quickly into the first team, but obviously with Evan Ferguson, Michael Obafemi, Troy Parrott, Callum Robinson…they were some of the strikers we were building the team around.
"So it’s an opportunity for Sinclair, because he has performed very well for QPR, and he has attributes we can certainly use, he has done very well at Championship level.
"Jonathan, on the other hand, I was at the European championships a few years ago, the U19s, when he was voted the third best player and was in the team of the European Championships, and subsequently played Under-21 level.
"Everyone wanted to sign him then, he chose to go to Celtic, it didn’t work out. But he’s rejuvenated himself at Bohemians and been very, very impressive this year."
"Obviously, needs must," added Kenny, when asked could the two players be involved on Sunday night. "We have a situation where we have five strikers injured. So that is a possibility, for sure."
Watch Republic of Ireland v Netherlands in Euro 2024 qualifying on Sunday from 7pm live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on 2fm's Game On
