2020 European Championship Qualifying Group D: Republic of Ireland v Switzerland (tonight, Dublin, 7.45pm)
SWITZERLAND in Dublin - where the road gets a little narrower. The Republic of Ireland always get it tight against the Swiss.
They ruined Irish hopes of a place at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup finals - but Mick McCarthy didn't seem burdened by the weight of history at yesterday's press conference, even though he knows a home win would edge them tantalisingly close to a place at next summer's Euro 2020 finals.
Mick appeared as relaxed as arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg lounging across the leather-clad seats of the House of Commons.
Unworried. Unruffled. But, unlike the lounging Tory MP, McCarthy knows the terrain he treads.
One bad turn on the road to qualification could be fatal.
McCarthy has never been in the business of making rash promises because of the unpredictable nature of football - but the former captain has seen most things in the game.
“I am on 971 games, I think, as a manager and I just know what happens in football and have a good handle on it," he said.
The Republic currently sit top of Group D after four games. With two wins already banked against minnows Gibraltar, their position might be slightly false, but there is no questioning their momentum ahead of tonight’s vital Swiss clash.
“We had good results towards the end of the season… I think that helps in terms of preparing for this game and how we’re feeling about it.
“We understand each other; there’s not been that many changes to the squad, there’s been no real upsets in terms of anyone dropping out.
"There’s a couple injured but it’s pretty settled. So if we can take that settled feeling, that harmony, that’s around the place at the minute - certainly within the squad – and play well, maybe we can start with a good result.”
