Fitness the key issue in upcoming friendlies, says O’Neill

A focus on getting players back to full match fitness before the 2016 European Championship qualifier against Scotland in 10 days is what will dominate Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill's decisions in the upcoming friendlies against Northern Ireland and England.

Both Jonathan Walters and Wes Hoolahan missed out on Ireland's open training session at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon as the pair are still carrying slight knee injuries, while a family bereavement meant Hoolahan would have missed the session anyway.

A total of 12 of the 27 players in O’Neill’s squad finished up their Football League seasons almost four weeks ago and the manager admits that some of them have found it difficult to get back to fitness.

“Today is our second day and there have been encouraging signs,” the manager said.

“The Championship players finished way back in the first couple of days in May and they were blowing a bit yesterday but hopefully by the end of the week they’ll have got themselves back trim again. But that was always a concern. For other players who have played in playoffs or in the Premier League it hasn’t been as much of a problem. So that’s what tomorrow is about, it’s really about fitness.”

Secret friendly

By tomorrow the 63-year-old means the behind-closed-doors friendly with Northern Ireland which takes place at the Aviva Stadium at 1.00pm and will be viewed somewhat as a training exercise.

Both the Republic of Ireland manager and his counterpart and namesake Michael will be free to roll players on and off throughout the 90 minutes, allowing them to try out new systems and get players up to speed.

When asked about whether the players would be given instructions to take it easy with tackles in tomorrow’s game O’Neill didn’t rule out the possibility of the exercise turning out to be a mistake if injuries are picked up.

“I don’t see that as being much of a problem but you’re possibly right. If the game kicks off at one and ends at ten past one then you’ll have had a point.”

One of the players that will benefit from tomorrow and Sunday’s game with England is Everton’s Aiden McGeady. Despite the winger being a central part to nearly all of O’Neill’s matches in charge of Ireland he has fallen out of favour on Merseyside, playing only 12 minutes of Everton’s last six Premier League games.

“These games are very important for him. Some of these things were scheduled very much with Aidan in mind. He played very little with Everton towards the end of the season so for him, and some of the Championship players, these games are key.”

Player analysis

A present figure at much of Ireland’s training sessions and all matches since his appointment two years ago has been high performance director Ruud Dokter.

The Dutchman is the driving force behind the FAI’s National Player Development Plan but, although O’Neill feels his presence to be important, he still very much believes in old-fashioned tactics when it comes to evaluating players.

“I do like to look to see how players are performing. But I think the eye doesn’t really deceive you. Form my experience in the game I think I can tell how players are feeling and how they’re monitoring themselves. Some players who can perform brilliantly on the field of play take training a bit more lightly and I think you have to take those things into consideration. Whereas other players can perform great in training but not turn up for the match,” he said.

Finishing up his media duties O’Neill was asked whether he would be interested in the certain vacant position at Fifa.

Although chuckling the Republic of Ireland manager didn’t rule it out, quipping that “you just never know.”