“Sweden is a game to look forward to, so let’s go for it. Sweden are not a one man team, they were quite strong in qualifying but Ibrahimovic is a top class player”.
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MARTIN O’NEILL believes that the draw for Euro 2016 has gone against Ireland but suggested that the traditional ability to respond to underdog status and a positive approach to the opening game with Sweden can be the key to securing qualification.
“We will not have time to grow into the tournament”.
Belgium remain a complete enigma on the worldwide stage, and many Republic fans will be rightly confused as to whether they have drawn the easiest team in the formidable first pot, or the easiest. Of course, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, Jesse Lingard, Michael Carrick and maybe injured Luke Shaw will all hope to be called up by manager Roy Hodgson. He looked enviously at Group F, a weak pool which contains Portugal, Iceland, Hungary and Austria.
The Wales manager said England was “the one we said we didn’t really want”.
They will meet June 10 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, on the northern outskirts of Paris.
Goalkeeper Shay Given tweeted: “Tough draw for us @FAIreland but still very excited about next summer, bring it on”.
The draw happened today, and Italy were drawn in what is unanimously the most hard group.
“We all know about their threats and they will know about ours”.
O’Neill said: ” Italy should have been in Pot 1, they have not dropped down the rankings that much.
World champions Germany, Poland and Ukraine, will be Northern Irleand’s oppoents in Group C for the tournament in June. There are no weak teams at the European Championships.
Spain boss Vincente del Bosque and German manager Joachim Low were among a number of footballing dignitaries as the two nations are among favorites for next year’s showdown.
They will play each other in Lens on June 16. He is also only three goals short of Michel Platini’s all-time tournament record of 9 goals.
Saturday’s draw took place at the Palais des Congres in Paris without Platini, who is the current – though suspended – president of UEFA.
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As harsh as Sweden’s 4-3 play-off win over local rivals Denmark may have been, there won’t have been too many tears from neutrals desperate to see the Zlatan show roll into Euro 2016. They made way for other dancers wearing the flags of the 24 teams.
