Long: 'Let's make this the play-off'

Goal hero Shane Long insists that for Thursday’s famous victory over Germany to really mean something, Ireland must secure qualification for the European Championship finals against Poland in Warsaw tomorrow night.

Long: 'Let's make this the play-off'

By Liam Mackey in Warsaw

Goal hero Shane Long insists that for Thursday’s famous victory over Germany to really mean something, Ireland must secure qualification for the European Championship finals against Poland in Warsaw tomorrow night.

A 2-2 draw or better for the Irish would be enough to see them progress automatically to France 2016. Anything less, and they will have to contest a two-legged play-off next month.

“Germany was a great result,” Long said at the pre-match press conference in Warsaw today, “but we need to make it mean something, and the only way to make it mean something is to qualify tomorrow night.

“It’s nice to know going into the game that we already have a place in the play-off but, after getting ourselves into this position, it would be a shame not to qualify because you don’t know who you might get in the play-off and how tough it might be. We have to view this game tomorrow as our play-off. If we win we’re in the Euros and we don’t have to worry about anything else.”

The expectation is that, on the back of what manager Martin O’Neill described as his “massive” goal against Germany, Long will make only his second start of the campaign for Ireland against Poland.

“It’s up to the boss,” said the striker, “but I’m ready whenever he needs me on the pitch. Every player wants to start the game but if it’s not the case then you wish the player in your position all best. When you’re on the bench you have to be ready to make an impact and it's worked out well in the past. But I’m ready and willing whenever I’m needed.

"I love playing for Ireland and putting on that jersey.”

Polish journalists were, naturally, more interested to hear the Irish view on their own hitman, Robert Lewandowski, after Poland manager Adam Nawalka had earlier said that, in his current form, the Bayern Munich man is unstoppable.

“He will not be easy to stop but we have to find a way to do so and we'll work on it,” Martin O’Neill responded. “Outside of the very best in the world, like Messi and Ronaldo, Lewandowski is in a bracket of players not far behind. He is really brilliant and exceptional and will cause you plenty of problems but we have to cope with that and try and come through.”

After making a virtue of necessity with his reshaped team against Germany, O’Neill has rather more pleasant selection headaches to contend with ahead of tomorrow night’s game.

With Glenn Whelan and James McClean back from suspension and Seamus Coleman recovered from injury, the manager’s hand is limited mainly by the absence of Shay Given, ruled out with the twisted knee he suffered against Germany, and Stephen Ward, who has not made the trip after the physical toll taken on a player well short of game time by Thursday’s game.

Darron Randolph acquitted himself well as Given’s replacement against Germany and looks almost certain to pick up what would only be his second competitive cap at the Stadion Nardowy.

There are also likely to be changes in both full-back positions, with Robbie Brady reverting to the left-back role in place of Ward, and Seamus Coleman, on what will be his 27th birthday, reclaiming the right-back berth from Cyrus Christie.

But whatever team he puts out, O’Neill expects his players to rise to the occasion of a high-stakes game which will take place in front of a wildly passionate crowd of nearly 60,000, only some three and half thousand of whom are expected to be wearing green.

Said the manager of the mood in the visitors’ camp: “If you’ve just beaten the world champions and you’re coming into this game on a downer then you shouldn’t be in the game.”

Meanwhile, O’Neill played down reports that he has already been offered a new two-year deal to remain as Ireland manager.

“That’s news to me,” he said. “It’s the same as before. I’ve spoken to John (Delaney) in the past and we will speak again. The focus now is on this game. Shane’s goal has given us a chance and that is absolutely and utterly all what we're thinking about. Everything else will take care of itself later on.”

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