SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 1 hr 22 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
RO
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Nov 18, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
DN

1-1

Doherty (85')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Mick McCarthy insists Ireland can end winless run against Denmark

:Headline: Mick McCarthy insists Ireland can end winless run against Denmark: ID:379711: from db_amp
The Ireland boss has warned the Danes to take nothing for granted.

Mick McCarthy says he would "go home" if he did not think the Republic of Ireland could beat Denmark to reach the Euro 2020 finals.

The 60-year-old Ireland boss will send his team into battle with a familiar foe at the Aviva Stadium on Monday evening knowing victory will secure a third successive trip to the European Championship.

It will be the sixth time the sides have met in two years and the Republic have won none of the previous five, drawing four and losing one, although McCarthy insists that has to change some time.

Republic of Ireland and Denmark have met regularly in recent years (Bradley Collyer/PA)

He said: "When people tell me that 'You haven't beaten somebody for so many times', well, I always believe it's about time we did and that's the mentality that I try to instil into everybody else.

"Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it's not going to happen again. There's loads of places being flooded in England at the minute – they've never been flooded before, but they are because it's been raining a lot.

"I just think that for us, always there's a big performance in us that can win a game. If I don't believe it, I might as well go home – and I'm not going home anytime soon."

Asked by a Danish journalist if he accepted that Age Hareide's team is technically better than his, McCarthy – who as a schoolboy watched then Second Division Sunderland stun the mighty Leeds to lift the 1973 FA Cup -puffed out his chest and said: "If I sat here and said I was better than everyone else, you wouldn't believe me, would you?

Mick McCarthy cited Sunderland's 1973 FA Cup-winning side as an example of a team upsetting the odds (PA)

"It doesn't concern me, people's opinions don't concern me, because it's on the day.

"I've seen a lot of cup finals. I was a big Leeds fan as a kid. I remember watching them against Sunderland. They were an absolute shoo-in, Sunderland couldn't win. And guess what? They did.

"All of the games I've seen or been involved in subsequently when teams shouldn't win and the other side has a better team and better players and a better manager and everything is in their favour, and they get slapped – well, that's what I'm hoping will happen tomorrow."

McCarthy does not believe for one minute that there is as big a gap between the two teams as there was that day at Wembley but is confident Ireland will give a better account of themselves than they did back in 2017 when, after drawing the first leg of their World Cup play-off 0-0 in Copenhagen, they returned to Dublin with high hopes only to be trounced 5-1.

“I hope I am going to have a bigger one in July, bigger games playing in the European Championship. But for now, this is the biggest one”
- Mick McCarthy

A man who won 57 caps for his country before guiding them to the World Cup finals in 2002 during his first spell as manager has seen much of what the game can throw at those who earn a living from it, but even he admits to feeling a few nerves on the eve of his latest big game.

He said: "I've woken up this morning with the butterflies with the boots on and I'm pleased about that, to be honest with you.

"That nice feeling getting ready for the game and you know that the big game is coming now and this is the last part of the preparation, I enjoy that feeling.

"I hope I am going to have a bigger one in July, bigger games playing in the European Championship. But for now, this is the biggest one."

amp_article__379711 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-11-17 14:12:29:
html db last update - 2021-03-11 05:04:08 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Mick McCarthy

Click here for more stories about Republic of Ireland

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
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.



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