Ireland can't afford to take a cautious approach in tonight's World Cup qualifier play-off against Czechia, according to Ronnie Whelan.
Heimir Hallgrimsson's men find themselves in contention after winning their final three group games, including the stunning 3-2 victory away to Hungary last November.
They face a somewhat unsettled Czechia outfit in Prague tonight (7.45pm Irish time) with the prize of a final qualifier, against Denmark or North Macedonia, to come on Tuesday.
While a battle of wills is on the cards at the Fortuna Arena, former Boys in Green midfielder Whelan says Ireland would be better off taking the game to their hosts.
"I don't think we can be cautious tonight," Whelan, who played at Euro '88 and Italia '90, told RTÉ Sport this morning.
"There's just too much on this game to be going out there and [saying] 'let's have a look, see how it goes'.
"You could find yourself 2-0 down after 10 minutes and then it's a huge climb.
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The home side finished second in Group L behind Croatia in a campaign that included a 2-1 loss to Faroe Islands that led to head coach Ian Hasek losing his job.
There's been significant unrest in new boss Miroslav Koubek's camp with West Ham's Tomas Soucek losing the captaincy after the players failed to applaud fans following the 6-0 win over Gibraltar.
"They wouldn't go and wave to the fans after they won [6-0]," said Whelan.
"It all came down to the one before, but then when the Faroes beat them, and then they didn't applaud the fans there.
"They can get over it, but if you are the away team like Ireland tonight and you go two up after 25 minutes, then it'll come back on you more than it has been before.
"They have got to be very careful how they go about the game tonight, because if they do concede early on, the crowd will get on their backs, there's no doubt about it.
"[The Faroes loss] mustn't have been good for them whatsoever, but it doesn't show that they're Argentina or Brazil or anybody like that, because they don't lose those games. Yes, they are capable of being beaten."
Ireland have not qualified for the World Cup since 2002 and Whelan recalled the first time that they reached the showpiece tournament thanks to a John Aldridge double over Malta in their final group game in November 1989.
The former Liverpool player said: "Of course we were expected to win in Malta, but you've got...the thing at the end of it, the worry, the anxiousness of 'this gets us to the World Cup if we win this game'.
"And then things don't go right at the start and then you get more anxious. We won the game 2-0 in the end.
"Everyone said, it's not the greatest result you're ever going to get, Malta away, 2-0.
"But it took us to the World Cup, it took us over the line, we were going, there was no doubt about it.
"Yeah, [the celebrations were] mad.
"I remember that night in the hotel when we were all mixing, there was music on and there was everything, it was absolutely packed, the hotel, we were just walking around drinking with everyone, great times.
"It would be great if they would come back, wouldn't it!"
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