JONATHAN WALTERS is refusing to cast even one eye towards Russia, despite helping the Republic of Ireland climb to the top of their World Cup qualifying group with victory in Austria.
Ireland's 1-0 win in Vienna on Saturday evening, coupled with Serbia's 1-1 draw in Wales a couple of hours later, saw Martin O'Neill's unbeaten side go two points clear at the top of Group D with four games played.
That will remain the case until hostilities resume in March next year, when the Welsh make the short trip to Dublin for a potentially key contest, but Walters insists there is simply too far to go to start getting excited.
The Stoke striker said: "We've got 10 points from the first four games, drawing away to Serbia and coming to places like this.
"We've started the campaign really well, but we've got some huge games coming up in March and next summer. It's a win, we're happy with where we are, but there's a long way to go."
For all Walters' caution, there were several causes for celebration in Austria - it was Ireland's first away win over a higher-ranked side since they beat Scotland in 1987, but it was also their fourth victory over a team rated better than them by Fifa inside the last 13 months.
It came courtesy of a fine counter-punch which left the hosts, who dropped only two of a possible 30 points in qualifying for the Euro 2016 finals, flailing. Marcel Koller's side had dominated the first-half and were unfortunate not to be ahead when Marcel Sabitzer's 39th-minute effort came back off the crossbar.
But they were behind within three minutes of the restart when substitute David Meyler, on for the injured Glenn Whelan, broke from his own half and fed Wes Hoolahan, whose pass to James McClean was perfectly timed and weighted for the winger to race away and thump a low shot inside the far post.
It was McClean's third goal in two qualifiers and came at the end of a week during which he had worked tirelessly to overcome a back problem: "It was a good goal by James and a clean sheet. To come to a difficult place like this and win is great. They're a very good team and we'll take the three points all day," Walters said.
"We have a nice break going to March and it is always nice going into the break with a win."
Shane Duffy was just as pleased with the clean sheet as the win, after his error in Moldova last month handed the home side an unlikely equaliser and he is confident there is more to come from his fledgling central-defensive partnership with Ciaran Clark, which now amounts to three games and just one goal conceded.
He said: "It should be three clean sheets. It was obviously a stupid goal.
"I enjoy playing alongside him and the more we play, the better we'll become. We're quite similar, we like to defend and that's what we're in there for."
Like Walters, Duffy knows there could be many twists and turns before the final shape of the group emerges and while Austria, who flopped at the Euros, are currently well off the pace with just four points from as many games, he saw enough at the Ernst Happel Stadium to suggest they could yet have a significant say.
He said: "No, they're never gone. With the quality they have, they can go and win every game from now to the end. That's what they have, they've had a tough period after the Euros and maybe they lack confidence.
"There is a still a long way to go, but it's a good start for us. It's a tough place to come - not many teams will come here and beat them."
Picture by AP Roy Keane still has the capacity to terrify people, according to James McClean
Picture by AP
What we learned at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna...
1: HARRY ARTER IS A GENUINE INTERNATIONAL
Bournemouth midfielder Arter has had to wait a long time for his first competitive appearance for Ireland, prompting speculation - fiercely denied after an unwarranted backlash - that he could instead opt to represent England.
He warmed to his task in Austria to help lock down a game in which Ireland grew increasingly confident as time wore on.
2: MARTIN O'NEILL HAS STRENGTH IN DEPTH
The Republic arrived in Vienna without regular starters Stephen Ward, James McCarthy, Shane Long and Daryl Murphy and with back-up men Stephen Quinn and Eunan O'Kane also on the injury list.
There was a near-audible groan from the away bench when holding midfielder Glenn Whelan limped off barely before breaking sweat, but Hull's David Meyler plugged the gap with such aplomb that the transition was almost seamless.
3: JAMES McCLEAN IS IMPROVING
McClean's career to date has been eventful to say the least. He has matured as a player and three goals in his past two games for Ireland have resulted in six precious points and his influence has not gone unnoticed by grateful manager Martin O'Neill.
4: AUSTRIA BETTER THAN RESULTS SUGGEST
Marcel Koller was left shaking his head as Austria slumped to a seventh defeat in 11 games since they romped through qualification for Euro 2016. They have managed to take just four points from their opening four fixtures but, had it not been for the crossbar repelling Marcel Sabitzer's first-half effort and a series of misses by striker Marc Janko, things mighty have been very different.
5: ROY KEANE STILL TERRIFIES PEOPLE
Even as he raced in on goal to secure victory for Ireland, McClean admitted Roy Keane was in his head: "If I had missed the target, Roy would have killed me. He hammers us in training that we must hit the target," the Derry man said.
