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Brady alongside Seamus Coleman and James McClean on Monday night. Nick Potts

Brady: 'I sent Robbie a little text and said I'd try not do too much damage to the jersey'

Ireland’s new number ten Robbie Brady wants to go from ‘strength to strength’ for the Boys in Green.

ROBBIE BRADY HOPES his new shirt number in the international team will help spur him on to become one of Ireland’s greatest players.

With record goalscorer Robbie Keane retiring recently, the number ten jersey needed to be filled and fellow Dubliner Brady jumped at the chance to wear it.

“It’s a massive honour,” Brady said after last night’s 2-2 draw with Serbia. “It just opened up and became available and I fancied it. I want to do well and I wanted to wear it.

I just sent Robbie a little text and said I’d try not do too much damage to it. He said ‘don’t worry, you only need to score 69 goals.

“But he’s happy I have it and congratulated me on it. I’m hoping to go from strength to strength and put in some more good performances for Ireland.”

Ireland come away from Belgrade with a point that they will be thankful to get after falling 2-1 down at the Red Star Stadium.

And Brady, who contributed to both Ireland goals with his set-piece deliveries, says there is no great shame in settling for a draw with last night’s opponents.

“I think it was a deserved point,” he added. “It was a difficult night and we knew it would be.

“There were circumstances tonight with the pitch and the rain — yesterday I went for a walk and it was roasting hot!

“So we all got a bit of a shock today when we open the curtains and it was lashing out.

Then there was talk of pitch inspections and that. We trained on it yesterday and it was cutting up. So we knew it was going to be night and it wouldn’t be a night to be playing football.

We stuck at it when they went 2-1 up and to pull a goal back showed a bit of character from us.

“It’s a good point away from home and I don’t think many people are going to enjoy coming here. For us to get a point and move on is okay in my eyes.”

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Here’s how we rated the Irish players in tonight’s World Cup qualifier

‘These boys play in big, big leagues’ – O’Neill defends Ireland’s performance

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    Mute Seán O Sullivan
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    Sep 4th 2016, 1:01 PM

    Throw McClean up against ivanovic on the wing and McClean will make him look like shit

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    Mute Stuart Kelly
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    Sep 4th 2016, 5:34 PM

    Serbs are expecting us to sit back, let’s hope we do not, let’s play high tempo and put the shitz up them

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    Mute Padraig
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    Sep 4th 2016, 1:02 PM

    I’m after losing interest in this match for the fact that MON has put loyalty ahead of picking some of our better performing players.

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    Mute wayne barron
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    Sep 4th 2016, 1:34 PM

    Like who?

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    Mute Sideshow Brendan
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    Sep 4th 2016, 1:58 PM

    You’ll probably say they are tripe then join the tournament bandwagon

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 4th 2016, 2:03 PM

    Other than mcgeady (who is really only there because no one else creative has put their hand up – or is fit (judge)), I don’t think anyone is in that squad due to loyalty alone?
    Not too many were unlucky to miss out either – maybe pilkington, mason, Egan and Doherty are the only ones I can think of….?

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    Mute Padraig
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    Sep 4th 2016, 2:06 PM

    John Egan,Matt Doherty and Conor Hourihane are currently playing better and are 23,24 and 25 respectively so they are not exactly kids.Its a shame that these lads could end up like Weso making their debut in their latter years.

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    Mute Patrick JDoherty
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    Sep 4th 2016, 2:09 PM

    Connor Sammon, of course.

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    Mute Ewan Euphrenza
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    Sep 4th 2016, 3:02 PM

    I think the idea behind this squad is trying to keep the Euros form rolling. It would be hard to get Egan, Doherty and Hourihane up to speed with just a friendly against Oman. We actually have a lot of options at centre back and in midfield, so calling up Egan and Hourihane would be a bit pointless outside of giving them exposure. Every minute you spend getting them up to speed is a minute that could be spent preparing for Serbia.

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    Mute Padraig
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    Sep 4th 2016, 4:33 PM

    @Ewan
    We can have a million options but the players I mentioned are better than who MON has in the squad according to current stats.Also I don’t know what ‘up to speed’ you are on about,these lads are starting for their clubs,are club captains and are scoring goals.

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 4th 2016, 5:01 PM

    Hourihane has played what 4-5 games in the championship and you want him
    In ahead of lads that start for their clubs in the prem (and other than Hendrick also did last year)??
    Same with Egan….
    I think it’s a bit too much to be expecting such a quick step up to international football (though I’d agree I’d like to see them in squad).
    Re Doherty having been watched both Christie and him, for me Christie offers more….. Particularly with his lacs given the lack of pace across the rest of the back 4!
    It always frustrates me how good players are before they are called up for us.
    Glenn whelan was an absolute super star when he was captaining Wednesday and not getting called up for us….. Daryl Murphy, Gibson, ward, McCarthy, Sheridan – were all much better players before they were given a chance and then suddenly once they were people were asking why they kept being picked!!

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    Mute Padraig
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    Sep 4th 2016, 5:36 PM

    @Augustus
    I gave you their ages above.When do we give these players their first cap.Do we wait till they turn 30?.

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    Mute Augustus hoop
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    Sep 4th 2016, 11:40 PM

    Either in a friendly – or if it’s a competitive match (this match is huge for the entire campaign) when they have clearly shown they are the best options available. 4-5 games at the same or a level below those they are competing with, isn’t clearly showing it…..

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    Mute running man
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    Sep 5th 2016, 7:58 AM

    O,Connell at Celtic Horgan at Dundalk to name 2

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    Mute Aidan O connor
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    Sep 4th 2016, 6:27 PM

    Serbians

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