No two countries coming face to face in this week’s European qualifiers better emphasise the rise and fall of football’s fluctuating fortunes than Northern Ireland and Greece, who meet in Belfast on Thursday.
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The 25-year-old Kilmarnock player is keen to start the match which could seal Northern Ireland’s place at Euro 2016 in France next summer.
It would do his confidence the world of good if he was to qualify for the Euros with Northern Ireland this week.
Reflecting on the Hungary Group F game when Kyle Lafferty scored an injury time leveller when O’Neill’s side were down to 10 men after Chris Baird’s red card, Dallas stated: “It was a bit dramatic leaving it so late”. Take Northern Ireland to get the W. Lawrie Sanchez did well for Northern Ireland and then picked up a Premier League job with Fulham. Or if all goes wrong on Thursday against Greece, another chance will come in Finland on Sunday. “Tomorrow and Wednesday we will start to focus on team preparation”. The manager set us up with a certain style of play and it suits the players we have.
Victory in their previous clash with Hungary would have secured qualification, but they were held to a 1-1 draw at Windsor Park.
“We have players in this squad who are more than capable of stepping up to the plate”.
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The Euro 2004 champions will only be playing for pride as they sit bottom of the group following a dismal campaign that has seen them fail to win any of their eight games, with their only remaining aim to finish higher than minnows Faroe Islands, who are now three points clear of them. “As a group we know what it will take to get us to France and that’s what we’re focused on now”.
