MARTIN O’NEILL HAS no regrets about Ireland’s end-of-season schedule, and is focusing instead on the positives of a fixture list that “couldn’t be more difficult.”
O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane have won just one of their four games since taking charge last November.
Next up is Saturday’s friendly against Italy in London before the squad fly out to America for a double-header against Costa Rica and Portugal.
There won’t be any easy opportunities to boost Ireland’s FIFA ranking (a lowly 66th at present), but O’Neill is happy to run that risk if it means better preparation for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
He said: “It will be great because it will eventually stand us in good stead, especially with the games coming up in September.
Of course you’d like to get the results with it as well, and really the last two games we should have won, but we’ll go on in this vein and see where it takes us.
Looking back on Sunday’s defeat against Turkey, he added: “I don’t think that we were short of effort or commitment at all and I’ve never thought that since I stepped in here in November.
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“The spirit and the attitude of the players has been terrific. Managers say that but it’s absolutely true here.
“It wasn’t through lack of effort that we lost the matches. We just should have finished some of the chances that we created.”
Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark (back) was the only player to sit out training in Malahide this morning while Richard Keogh, Jeff Hendrick and Conor Sammon all took part for the first time following Derby’s cruel play-off loss against QPR.
“They came in last night and we had a chat with all three,” O’Neill said.
“Richard in particular obviously is devastated because he feels that his mistake at the end led to Queen’s Park Rangers scoring the goal.
I know it’s desperately disappointing at this minute but with the sort of the season that he and the Derby team have had, and that will be no consolation to him at the moment, but you hope that time will be a bit of a healer.
Kevin Doyle is due to fly in on Thursday while Coventry City keeper Joe Murphy will link up with the squad in London following his temporary call-up to replace Rob Elliot, who is getting married this weekend.
Stoke City trio Marc Wilson, Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters will also miss the Italy game having been excused to attend a wedding.
Guppy and Walford with O'Neill and Keane in Malahide this morning. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
O’Neill, meanwhile, is enjoying the opportunity to spend some time tinkering with tactics and getting to know his squad before the competitive pressure sets in.
For me, I will derive great benefit from having this length of time with the players. It’s excellent for me and it gives me a better chance to make some sort of judgements when it comes to the games.
Coaches Steve Walford and Steve Guppy were present again today in Malahide and O’Neill was reluctant to say too much when asked if they would be joining his backroom team on a full-time basis.
“They have come to join me here at this moment. We will take everything into consideration.
“We had these games in quick succession and it’s a period of time in which we can have a look at a few things.
“Steve [Walford] has been with me for quite some considerable time and Steve Guppy is an up-and-coming coach.
Tough summer schedule 'will eventually stand us in good stead,' says O'Neill
MARTIN O’NEILL HAS no regrets about Ireland’s end-of-season schedule, and is focusing instead on the positives of a fixture list that “couldn’t be more difficult.”
O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane have won just one of their four games since taking charge last November.
Next up is Saturday’s friendly against Italy in London before the squad fly out to America for a double-header against Costa Rica and Portugal.
There won’t be any easy opportunities to boost Ireland’s FIFA ranking (a lowly 66th at present), but O’Neill is happy to run that risk if it means better preparation for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
He said: “It will be great because it will eventually stand us in good stead, especially with the games coming up in September.
Looking back on Sunday’s defeat against Turkey, he added: “I don’t think that we were short of effort or commitment at all and I’ve never thought that since I stepped in here in November.
“The spirit and the attitude of the players has been terrific. Managers say that but it’s absolutely true here.
“It wasn’t through lack of effort that we lost the matches. We just should have finished some of the chances that we created.”
Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark (back) was the only player to sit out training in Malahide this morning while Richard Keogh, Jeff Hendrick and Conor Sammon all took part for the first time following Derby’s cruel play-off loss against QPR.
“They came in last night and we had a chat with all three,” O’Neill said.
“Richard in particular obviously is devastated because he feels that his mistake at the end led to Queen’s Park Rangers scoring the goal.
Kevin Doyle is due to fly in on Thursday while Coventry City keeper Joe Murphy will link up with the squad in London following his temporary call-up to replace Rob Elliot, who is getting married this weekend.
Stoke City trio Marc Wilson, Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters will also miss the Italy game having been excused to attend a wedding.
O’Neill, meanwhile, is enjoying the opportunity to spend some time tinkering with tactics and getting to know his squad before the competitive pressure sets in.
Coaches Steve Walford and Steve Guppy were present again today in Malahide and O’Neill was reluctant to say too much when asked if they would be joining his backroom team on a full-time basis.
“They have come to join me here at this moment. We will take everything into consideration.
“We had these games in quick succession and it’s a period of time in which we can have a look at a few things.
“Steve [Walford] has been with me for quite some considerable time and Steve Guppy is an up-and-coming coach.
“We’ll see what happens after the summer break.”
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COYBIG Italy v Ireland Jeff Hendrick Martin O'Neill Richard Keogh Roy Keane Ireland Republic