“But I think that every one of the players, the younger players in particular, should take bits of his [Keane’s] game into their own and try to learn from him”.
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Serbia host Ireland in a World Cup qualifier at the Stadion Rajko Mitić in Beograd on Monday priced as bet365’s 21/20 favourites to get their bid to qualify into the tournament finals in Russian Federation in two years’ time off to a winning start.
In one of their trickiest fixtures in the World Cup qualifying process, the Northern Irish were fortunate to emerge with anything after Filip Novak somehow squandered a close-range chance by firing wide when left all alone in the second half.
“Obviously it would have been nice to get the win, but we’ll analyse the game and see that it probably was a good point in the end”. It’s going to be a tight group.
Czech Republic endured a miserable Euro 2016 campaign, crashing out of the competition at the group stages but Jarolim’s men will hope to find the form that saw them qualify for that tournament as they take their first steps on the road to Russian Federation.
“This sets us on our way and we have to win our home games against San Marino and Azerbaijan”.
O’Neill noted that four of his starting XI – Kyle Lafferty, Jamie Ward, Stuart Dallas and Paddy McNair – have been used sparingly by their clubs so far this term, and their worldwide manager is eager to see them get up to speed ahead of fixtures with San Marino and Germany in October.
Martin O’Neill’s men will face a tough test in Belgrade, for Serbia have suffered defeat in just one of their last six matches on home soil.
“It showed in the second half that three or four players have not been playing club football”.
Meanwhile, midfielder Hendrick – who came off the same conveyor belt of talent as Brady as a kid at St Kevin’s Boys in Dublin – also posed a regular threat in front of goal at the Euros, hitting the bar in Ireland’s opener against Sweden.
Steven Davis has conceded Northern Ireland may have been fortunate to come away with a point following their 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic on Sunday. We’re a very good team when we don’t have the ball.
Serbia finished fourth in qualifying for Euro 2016, winning only two of their eight games.
“I spoke to Michael a week or two after the Euros and he was studying the Czechs and getting ready for this game”, Evans said.
“I have to understand why he did what he did”, he said. Of course, there were a couple of situations that were not up to us and were not our fault, but these things happen.
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“I know that this is a hard opponent and there are some hard opponents in this group, but I also recognise the quality that Ireland and Wales and other teams like this have and I’m not surprised that they made it to the European Championships”.
