Stephen Kenny said that his St Patrick's Athletic side would fight fire with fire ahead of their two-legged tie with Istanbul Basaksehir, but now, having matched their esteemed opponents in Dublin, perhaps the Saints boss will rethink his approach.
Entering the renowned white hot cauldron of Turkish club football, the former Ireland manager may now ponder the notion of attempting to take a fire extinguisher into tonight’s clash in Istanbul.
The first leg showed the manager, and more importantly, the players, that there is not as much between the two teams on the pitch as there is on paper, with Basaksehir boasting several internationals throughout their high-quality squad.
A well-organised, disciplined and energetic outing from the Inchicore side reduced the gap between the sides and Kenny will be tasking his players to carry that momentum into the second leg.
The rewards for the club have already surpassed expectations this season as the Saints head into their sixth European encounter of the summer. And while the club’s league form has demanded questions of the new regime, the European expedition has justified the appointment of the high-profile manager.
For the players, results in Europe and the adventures of playing away from home, with all the trappings of travel and foreign hotel stays, instils confidence and creates footballing memories, while a further foray into group stage football will also bring financial rewards as a result of an extended season.
As mentioned, Kenny’s success rate in the Premier Division has been surprisingly slow to take flight, however, he has brought all that previous European and international experience into the club and it is paying dividends in this competition.
Kenny has always had a penchant for exciting wide play and despite some defensive difficulties in his Republic of Ireland experiences, his current crop look very disciplined and difficult to penetrate.
The manager also has the benefit of working with the players day in, day out, as opposed to the international model, and again things are working out as Kenny has established a settled side to maintain momentum and create continuity on a game-by-game basis.
Kenny has named the same starting XI in his last couple of European games, however, there will be at least one change tonight as the in-form Romal Palmer is ruled out through injury, which forced him off for the second half of the first leg.
Kian Leavy should step right back into the team with the minimum of fuss and brings his own attacking attributes to the side, perhaps unlucky having to watch on from the sidelines in previous games.
Otherwise, Kenny will surely keep faith with the side that has taken them this far, with the knowledge that there are plenty of attacking options waiting in reserve if they have to go chasing the game in the latter stages.
Saints’ first task is to really steady the ship early on in this encounter with the home team primed to go on the offensive from the first whistle.
The pressure on the travelling team is unlikely to let up throughout a first half that will require immense concentration and application, however, if they do manage to halt the home side and quieten the crowd, it will offer a chance for Saints to showcase their own attributes as they seek to make history in Turkey.
Kenny’s side, of course, have a very dynamic counter-attacking style with pace and skill offering outlets especially against what should be a high-line from the Istanbul side.
But the manager will surely emphasise to his players to choose their moments carefully, while maintaining sufficient cover behind the ball.
Let’s not forget the quality of this opposition, however, as Basaksehir will fully expect to get through this tie with plenty to spare at the end of the contest.
A team without the history nor roll of honour of the more recognised Turkish club sides like Galatasaray and Besiktas, yet Basaksehir won the league five years ago and have already enjoyed Champions League group stage football, beating Manchester United in the process.
And they have become a regular on the European football stage in recent seasons, while they have also signed a partnership deal with the superpower that is City Football Group.
So for Basaksehir, losing is not an option as they plot their future with the owners of Manchester City, improving their football strategy, recruitment, scouting and coaching methodology.
And Kenny was happy to play the underdog card at the pre-match press conference as he looked to give as little away as possible in his quest to make another huge mark in European club football.
In fact, Kenny believes that his side have been underdogs in every tie, which should suit his narrative going into such a big game.
"Last week was evenly contested, it was quite tactical," said Kenny. "The stakes are high and it is an important tie for both teams, and we are looking forward to it.
"Istanbul Basaksehir are certainly strong favourites, having been champions of Turkey, been in the Champions League group stages, and been in successive group stages of European football.
"For St Patrick’s Athletic, it’s an opportunity to get into the group stages for the first time in our history as a club and it’s a big incentive, and it makes a big difference for the players’ careers and their lives, so we anticipate a tough game but we are ready for the challenge."
And as for the game itself, Kenny was quick to point out the quality that exists in his opponents, while emphasising that his side will need to bring another dimension to their game and show true belief as they look to improve on last week’s performance.
"They have obvious talent in the attacking areas. They are a potent team as they have proved in the Turkish league," said Kenny.
"We expect new challenges, and we must come up with new ways of (adding) creativity within the team," said Kenny.
"We learned lessons from the first game. A lot of things went very well for us, and there are things that we need to improve on, and we will look to improve again."
"From our point of view, we have been the underdog in every round, so what we don’t do is underestimate ourselves."
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