John O'Shea praises Martin O'Neill for instilling Ireland with 'incredible spirit'

"I knew what to expect having worked under Martin’s management before but ever since he became involved in the Irish team we have been able to get these kind of results."

John O'Shea praises Martin O'Neill for instilling Ireland with 'incredible spirit'

John O'Shea has lauded Martin O'Neill for the belief the manager has instilled in an Irish team that resurrected World Cup ambitions with the defeat of Wales in Cardiff, writes Brendan O'Brien.

The Republic's chances of making next summer's tournament in Russia appeared closer to none than slim after a string of poor results in 2017 but the strong finish to Group D has changed the narrative.

The win against a Welsh side that was the pool's top seeds comes on the back of other standout victories against Germany and Italy in the last two years and leaves the side and its supporters on a high approaching the play-offs.

"I knew what to expect having worked under Martin’s management (at Sunderland) before but ever since he became involved in the Irish team we have been able to get these kind of results," said O'Shea.

"Through the two campaigns we have been missing players, but lads have stepped up, we’ve found goals. It is an incredible spirit. There have been a lot of late goals, too.

"That comes down firstly to the boys' conditioning but also to their character. It is a character thing, no doubt. We have the quality. Deep down we have that strong character. We showed it again on Monday.”

That ability to produce what is required when it matters most has been apparent across two qualifying campaigns - and at Euro 2016.

O'Neill's side has struck late on in crucial games against Georgia, Germany, Poland, Italy, Serbia and Austria, rescuing draws from the jaws of defeat and claiming wins from the clutches of damaging stalemates.

Both campaigns have been agonisingly tight and claustrophobic affairs. Take away strolls against Gibraltar and Moldova and the Irish haven't won a competitive game by more than the one goal in all that time.

Cardiff earlier this week was typical of that. Both managers had predicted a suffocating ninety minutes and it eventually took the bite and craft of Jeff Hendricks to set up the winner for James McClean.

“The key word here is faith, the faith he has in everyone," said O'Shea. "When he selects players they know they have to do a job for him and the players trust that. That trust gets stronger and stronger.

"You see the players popping up with goals when they do.

"They have that belief and trust in the players around them. You saw Jeff pressurising, forcing the mistake, Harry (Arter) running into the box and stepping over it and then James burying it with his right foot. That’s trust."

As with any side worth it's salt, everything begins at the back.

A rugged collective effort was typified by the performance at the heart of the defence of Shane Duffy whose efforts earned comparisons with Paul McGrath against Italy in 1994 and Richard Dunne in Moscow six years ago.

"Incredible, we know it has been in there," said O'Shea. "It’s been coming. He’s shown it for Brighton and long may it continue because he’s going to be a big, big player in the future for Ireland, as he is at the minute."

The emergence of Duffy and Ciaran Clark has, sadly but inevitably, shunted O'Shea to the margins although the 36-year has played his part in the ten-game campaign having been persuaded to delay his international retirement after the Euros.

Ninety-minute stints away to Serbia and at home to Wales were banked, as well as a handful of minutes off the bench at home to Georgia, but the second-half of the campaign unfolded with him rooted to the bench.

Though he would clearly prefer to be playing, O'Shea knows the score and the opportunity to experience one more rollercoaster campaign with his country is not something he takes for granted.

"We spoke about it at the start of the campaign: some of the boys have played a small part in some of the games but the boys have been doing brilliantly and long may that continue. That’s the whole idea, bring it forward, and they have done.

"Now we wait and see who comes in the play-offs. It’s incredible to keep it going and it’s up to me now and other players as well to keep the pressure on, keep performing for your club and make sure you’re ready if or when you’re called upon."

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