Sport

Michael O'Neill bemoans absence of Bale from Wales side

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neil addresses his players during a training session at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday<br />Picture by PA
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neil addresses his players during a training session at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday
Picture by PA
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neil addresses his players during a training session at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday
Picture by PA

NORTHERN Ireland may fancy their chances of defeating a Wales side missing Gareth Bale on Thursday, but boss Michael O'Neill admits the Real Madrid star would have provided a perfect test for their daunting Euro 2016 group.

The Dragons will be without both forward Bale and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey in Cardiff due to respective calf and thigh injuries and, while O'Neill has lost Chris Brunt in recent weeks too, his men will be optimistic about their chances of recording a first victory over Wales in 36 years.

It is the first of four friendlies for both sides prior to Euro 2016 and O'Neill conceded the challenge of shackling Bale, the world's most expensive player, would have been ideal preparation ahead of a tournament where they will come up against Poland's Robert Lewandowski and Germany's Thomas Muller.

"We know that, when we go to France, we're going to play against some very good teams and teams with some exceptional individual players, which Gareth Bale is - Aaron Ramsey comes into that category too," O'Neill said.

"It would have been good for our preparations to have to deal with that but, equally, the fact they are not playing sets us a different challenge. It's been difficult to give the players as much meaningful information as possible because of their absence. When you look at Wales over the qualifying campaign, you see how influential Gareth Bale was in terms of his number of goals and assists. Finding footage of Wales without Gareth Bale is quite difficult. We think we've given the best information we can.

"It would be great if he had have been able to play. Chris [Coleman] is like me, he probably knows the vast majority of his squad that are going to go to the tournament, I'm sure the players that come in will want to stake their claim for an opportunity in the summer as well."

Wales will be hoping a fixture against the North will help them gear up for the much-anticipated meeting with Roy Hodgson's England in Lens. Welsh boss Coleman admitted he expected a "feisty" encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium, a theory O'Neill does not totally subscribe to given both sets of players' willingness to reach France injury-free.

"I think, to an extent, there will be an element of that," he added of Coleman's comments.

"At this stage of the season, both sets of players have their eye on the summer. We want the game to be competitive, but there is an element of common sense prevailing for both sides as well. They are missing a few players, we are missing a few players as well. There are players coming in who will want to impress. I'm not overly concerned about that aspect."