But Lloris, who played in that game, insists the minds of the French squad are focused purely on the task in hand and rejected the notion that Ireland will be looking for payback. “It’s totally disproportionate for a stadium of this size”, O’Neill told a news conference on Saturday. I shall not name them, but if they don’t come into the first 11 you’ll have a fair idea yourself.
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He said: “For any team that is going to be playing in the last 16, I think getting less than 5,000 tickets is pretty unfair”.
“There should have been a certain allocation left aside for the side that would make it here”.
Now it faces the prospect of a demanding, high-tempo match, provided that France’s nippy forward Antoine Griezmann and pacey wingers Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial can raise their game.
Long and most of his team-mates were just boys when Ireland exploded on to the world stage at Italia 1990 and in the United States four years later, but they ensured their own feats too will be remembered by beating Italy on Wednesday night to secure their passage to the last 16 at Euro 2016.
Martin O’Neill’s reputation for managing over-achieving teams has never sat easily with him. “2009. Henry. Karma. We’re going to beat them in the last five minutes with a controversial goal”, he said. It’s not the first time that global sides have had an advantage in terms of rest.
“It’s upon us now, we just have to deal with it”, said O’Neill, refusing to add to his complaints. Those players have done very little since.
“But I don’t think you would want to head out of the competition meekly, that’s the most important thing”.
Will team spirit be able to guide Ireland past France?
The Republic’s preparations for the Lyon contest has included regular penalties practice, with a view to a possible shootout. “We’ve done that a number of times, even before we arrived here”. They’re not over-confident so I think we’ve a good chance.
France has failed to live up to its pre-tournament billing as one of the favorites.
However, the European Cup victor knows putting the ball in the net from 12 yards on the training ground is a very different prospect to trying to do it in front of 59,000 people with a quarter-final place in the European Championships at stake. It will depend on who is on the pitch at the time, obviously. “We’ve done as much as we possibly can in that aspect”.
A World Cup qualifying play-off in Paris was won by France in extra-time – but the decisive goal, scored by William Gallas, was set up courtesy of a clear handball from Thierry Henry.
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“It’s a tough game, but we’re approaching it like we do any other game”.
