Martin O’Neill maintaining positive view ahead of final games

At the point, early on, where he cracks a bit of a joke at his own expense about it, all doubt is extinguished that even Martin O’Neill knows there is something faintly ludicrous about his habit of naming outsized preliminary Ireland squads. A bit like the guy in the old Four Tops, however, it seems he can’t help himself.

This latest squad, for the critically important games against Germany and Poland, is his biggest yet, with 40 players included.

Somewhere down the end of the list, you find yourself feeling, as you read through it, that there should be one of those disclaimers along the lines of: “The above is purely for illustrative purposes and inclusion should not in any way be taken to indicate imminent involvement in any actual squad”.

If the rumours are correct, a couple of hopefuls would certainly have been happy for the warning back in May when, it is said, they cancelled holiday plans ahead of the England and Scotland games only to discover that their services would not, after all, be required.

Christie example

There are certainly quite a few here who, one suspects, would do well not to get their hopes up or alter travel arrangements, but then O’Neill might point to the example of Cyrus Christie, who got more than he can possibly have bargained for once he did actually make the cut at the start of this month.

Darron Gibson’s inclusion this time was the closest thing there was to news in the squad itself, with the Everton midfielder’s return to training at his club apparently enough to prompt a recall, even if the manager sounded vaguely sceptical about the prospects of the 27-year-old, who hasn’t played since March, being fit enough to make a meaningful contribution by the start of next month.

Those players in the English Championship, the league O’Neill says he knows so well, who haven’t made even Ireland’s top 40 must be left with the impression that they have the proverbial two chances of ever actually seeing the team’s fine new training facilities out at Abbotstown, never mind getting to wear the shirt.

Two chances, as it happens, was the phrase the Northerner used to sum up Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for France next summer as they head into next month’s game, although, to be fair, he meant it in a rather more positive way.

“I think we have two chances to win a game,” he said. “They are not the easiest, but they are chances. If we sat in all night against Germany, hoped for something and they beat us, then I don’t think we’d feel all that great [going to Poland]. Sitting in all night against Germany would be tantamount to disaster.

“So we’ll try to be as positive as we possibly can in the game because if you haven’t had a proper go against Germany, then, with the next game a couple of days later, you have [a job] to lift spirits. So let’s be as positive as we can be, have a proper go but be sensible about it.”

O’Neill suggested that, with Glenn Whelan suspended, James McCarthy will slot back into the most defensive of the team’s three midfield roles and hinted that Aiden McGeady will remain in contention to feature even if, as he seems to expect, the midfielder’s outings between now and then are largely limited to a few under-21 games at Everton.

He conceded that the punt he had taken on Robbie Keane starting against Georgia “in the euphoria” that followed the win over Gibraltar hadn’t paid off, but said that the veteran striker’s track record on the goalscoring front means he too will remain in the mix as the squad edges towards the end of the current campaign.

As for the future, O’Neill confirmed that things are progressing in a promising way with regard to Daniel Crowley, the Arsenal midfielder currently on loan to Barnsley, declaring for Ireland.

Aston Villa winger Jack Grealish, though, continues to procrastinate, prompting somebody to ask whether O’Neill should simply set a deadline by which the player must make his decision.

‘A deadline’

“I probably have to think about what is best for Ireland over the next 10 to 12 years,” he said. “There is no point in me being selfish about it. I don’t think that for the long-term future of the Republic of Ireland, putting a deadline on it would be the best thing to do.”

Nobody thought to ask after that whether Grealish might feel deterred by all the people that appear to be ahead of him in the queue.