Having guided Northern Ireland to a first major tournament in 30 years, Michael O’Neill is hoping his side can do enough to make it to the last 16 of the European Championship before they face Germany in their final group match.
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Wales boss Chris Coleman confessed that he’d prefer to avoid England ahead of the Euro 2016 draw.
Northern Ireland have been handed a hard campaign after being drawn against world champions Germany, Poland and Ukraine.
Former England captain Alan Shearer believes players from the Three Lions and Wales will relish their game but played down England’s chances in the overall tournament. With the tournament expanding from 16 teams to 24 teams this year, the 2016 group of death fails in comparison to some previous editions we’ve seen.
“We will take time out to study opposition players so that by the time of the games we know everything about them”. “The atmosphere in those games will be incredible”.
Coleman had said before the draw that meeting England in the group would be a distraction, but was relieved it will not be their opening match of the tournament. There have been reports that she has picked up accreditation for the draw, but UEFA sources say that is not the case.
“I’m a bit more relaxed about it in that sense because what happens, you’re looking around, you’re thinking this and you’re thinking that”. I am very excited, we’re in a group with some hot competition.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone and I’m sure I’ll have the family trying to book flights for wherever we may be playing”.
While England and Wales will meet in group B, Russian Federation and Slovkia also in that group.
Group B: England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia.
“It’s something to look forward too”, he said.
“The beauty is that this good run of form has put us amongst the top seeds, there was only five places, so it was good to get one of those five”, he said. “German football fans can look forward to the second round”.
Ireland worldwide Darren O’Dea will join Jamie Moore on 98FM’s Now That’s What I Call Sport on Sunday morning from 9am to discuss the draw. Republic of Ireland we should be able to beat; Sweden we can also beat.
Of Liverpool’s other likely Euro 2016 participants, Emre Can will aim for a place in a Germany squad that has been pitted against Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland in Group C.
“We know all the Wales players – nearly all of them play in England”.
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“But I am confident with what we have got on our day – we can have a game with anyone”.
