SM
Watford vs. Leeds: 19 hrs 40 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Jason Knight remains optimistic over Ireland's World Cup bid

:Headline: Jason Knight remains optimistic over Ireland's World Cup bid:
Ireland face a tough triple-header in September after a winless start to the campaign.
Sports Mole

Jason Knight has insisted the Republic of Ireland's bid for World Cup qualification is not yet dead in the water despite a calamitous start to the campaign.

Stephen Kenny's men travelled to Serbia in March with high hopes of launching their quest for a trip to Qatar next year with a positive result, but ultimately returned on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline after an at times encouraging performance.

However, any positives from that near miss were obliterated three days later when they were beaten 1-0 by Luxembourg at the Aviva Stadium, leaving them staring down the barrel as they prepare for September's triple-header against Portugal, Azerbaijan and the Serbs.

But asked if he still believed there was something to fight for in the wake of Thursday night's 4-1 friendly win in Andorra, 20-year-old Derby midfielder Knight said: "A hundred per cent.

"As long as there's hope, we still believe in ourselves, and that will start in the first game.

"We always want to win the next game and perform well. But there is a transition period and a building that's going on here."

That transition has been instigated by Kenny, who stepped up from the under-21 ranks in April last year to replace Mick McCarthy and has since elevated a series of players to the senior stage.

The process has not been without its difficulties – the comeback win in Andorra was his first victory at the 12th attempt – but there have been notable successes along the way with Knight's emergence one of them.

Then 19, he was preparing to play for the under-21s in Italy in October when he was summoned to Helsinki to meet up with the senior squad and rewarded with a debut as a late substitute in a 1-0 Nations League defeat by Finland.

He won his sixth senior cap at the Estadi Nacional in Andorra La Vella and marked the occasion with his first goal, a situation he admits was beyond his wildest dreams not so very long ago.

Knight said: "To play in my sixth appearance and to score a goal would have been outside my thinking at that time. For it to happen now is a dream."

To have taken his first steps on the big stage at such a testing time for the national team has brought its own challenges, but the midfielder, along with the likes of Dara O'Shea and Jayson Molumby has taken it all in his stride and bought into Kenny's vision for the future.

He said: "It's a transition and it's going to take time. Hopefully, tonight will be a catalyst for moving forward and putting in good performances."

The next opportunity will come in Tuesday night's friendly clash with Euro 2020 finalists Hungary in Budapest, when Ireland will hope to build upon a win which eased the mounting pressure, but given the opposition, did not answer all of the questions.

Troy Parrott's double laid the foundation, but Knight's strike from substitute Daryl Horgan's cross eased the Republic clear before he returned the favour at the death.

He said with a smile: "It was only right for me to set him up as he set me up with a great delivery."

body check tags ::

amp_article__450277 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-06-04 22:22:07:
html db last update - 2021-06-04 22:04:09 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Jason Knight

Click here for more stories about Hungary

Share this article now:
RO
Read Next:
Stephen Kenny tips Troy Parrott for bright future
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Jason Knight Stephen Kenny Troy Parrott Jayson Molumby Dara O'Shea Football
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Stephen Kenny tips Troy Parrott for bright future
Liverpool 'resigned to missing out on top managerial candidate'

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Man City injury, suspension list vs. Arsenal - De Bruyne, Stones and more

1

MC

Key Man City duo miss training ahead of Arsenal title clash

2

KM

Preview: Aston Villa vs. Leicester Women - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PA

Barcelona could be missing seven players for Las Palmas clash

4

BC

Man Utd could raise £105m through player sales this summer

5

MU

Arsenal 'optimistic over triple injury boost for Man City clash'

6

A'

Real Madrid 'priced out of move for Liverpool's Alexander-Arnold'

7

RM

Why Chelsea winger Sterling will relish Burnley game

8

WC

Key midfield trio 'absent from Real Madrid training on Thursday'

9

KM

Man Utd, Spurs 'alerted to cut-price fee for in-demand defender'

10

MU


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .