Martin O’Neill backs Jon Walters to shine for Ireland against Bosnia

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/15/republic-of-ireland-martin-oneill-jon-walters-bosnia

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Martin O’Neill is determined to reach Euro 2016 although he knows it is a relatively trivial pursuit. On Monday in Dublin his Republic of Ireland team contest the return leg of their qualification play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina and O’Neill is hopeful a sporting contest, and nothing else, will unfold.

“I don’t feel uneasy about the game,” he said. “It was horrendous, the events in Paris, and obviously puts a lot of things into perspective including football matches. I’m hoping the stadium is well policed and I’m hoping we will be OK.”

The hope, then, is the night will bring as dramatic a reckoning as can be served by that wonderful frivolity, a football match. For O’Neill and Ireland a campaign that began 14 months ago with a win in Georgia and has also featured a dispiriting defeat in Scotland, an epic victory over Germany and that fog-cloaked 1-1 draw in Bosnia, will be definitively declared a triumph or a flop.

Ireland go in with a slim advantage thanks to Robbie Brady’s away goal in Bosnia but the tie could still take twists aplenty at the Aviva Stadium, with extra time and even a nerve-shredding penalty shootout among the possibilities. And at the end, Ireland will be going to Euro 2016, or they will not. O’Neill will sign a new contract, or he may not.

To secure passage to France, O’Neill will probably have to get some difficult decisions right.

Related: Poland’s Robert Lewandowski condemns Republic of Ireland to play-offs

Will John O’Shea return to central defence after missing the first leg through suspension, or will Ciaran Clark and Richard Keogh be allowed to prolong the partnership that worked well in the first leg? Will Shane Long be considered fit enough to start despite missing the last month with a knee injury? Will Ireland’s 35-year-old record scorer, Robbie Keane, be given what would surely be his last competitive appearance in Dublin?

O’Shea, Long and Keane have made important contributions to this and other campaigns but O’Neill is not about to let sentiment influence his decisions now. “It’s called tough luck,” the manager said. “I’m not going to put players in because it’s their last international game. I’d put them in because the experience they have garnered in the last 15 years puts them in decent stead.”

One loyal servant who seems certain to be included from the start is Jon Walters, who missed the first leg through suspension. His return alone would make Ireland stronger than they were in the away leg, as his relentless endeavour and power, plus his goal threat, make him a crucial component of the team.

“We might lack a few things in our side, but a bit of strength of character I think is there and the likes of Jon Walters epitomises that,” O’Neill said.

“Jon has been terrific in the campaign. He epitomises the spirit, never say die, and he’s come up with big goals for us as well. He’s been pretty exceptional throughout the tournament and I couldn’t speak more highly of him.”

The left-back Stephen Ward has shown the same admirable spirit as his team-mates but there are doubts about his solidity, as he has barely played for his club, Burnley, this season and Edin Visca, Bosnia’s right-wing, tormented him in the first leg. Brady may revert to left-back, from where he can launch attacks, reflecting Ireland’s more offensive approach.

There is also a case for deploying O’Shea at left-back instead but O’Neill rejects the notion that Ward is a weakness that Bosnia deliberately exploited in the first leg and could do so again in Dublin.

“I wouldn’t have any problems about playing Stephen again,” he said. “Bosnia raid down the right-hand side because they’ve got a very fine right-winger. I don’t think that Bosnia necessarily target players in that sense. They want to get it out to the little lad Visca, who is exceptionally talented and can cause problems to anybody.”

O’Neill is certainly not thinking exclusively about how to defend, as he believes it would be foolish to rely on the away goal to progress. “If we think we can keep them out for 90 minutes and camp ourselves outside our penalty area, that would be a recipe for disaster,” he said. “We have to consider being on the front foot, genuinely. We want to be really positive.”