Soccer

Michael O'Neill: I won't be worrying about implications of Wales-Hungary clash

Michael O'Neill insists his full focus will be on events in Frankfurt, and not in Cardiff. Picture by Pacemaker
Michael O'Neill insists his full focus will be on events in Frankfurt, and not in Cardiff. Picture by Pacemaker Michael O'Neill insists his full focus will be on events in Frankfurt, and not in Cardiff. Picture by Pacemaker

Euro 2020 qualification Group C: Northern Ireland v Germany (tonight, Commerzbank Arena, 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports Premier League)

MICHAEL O’Neill insists his full focus will be on Northern Ireland’s final Group C game against Germany tonight - and not on events in Cardiff, where the result of the Wales-Hungary game could have a significant bearing on their play-off situation.

If Wales win at Cardiff City Stadium, Northern Ireland then look likely to face a trip to Bosnia for a March 26 play-off semi-final.

However, if Hungary manage to avoid defeat, there would then be a draw to decide which of Slovakia, Wales and Northern Ireland move into a different pot, and a route that offers the potential of a home draw.

But O’Neill insists he won’t be getting bogged down in detail about potential outcomes while his side is in action at the Commerzbank Arena.

“We’ll not be thinking too much about Wales and Hungary,” said the Ballymena man.

“It’s things that are out of your control. We’ll be too busy with what’s going to happen out there on the pitch to be worried what’s happening in Cardiff.

“Yes, ideally if your first play-off game was a home game, that’s certainly an advantage, there’s no doubt about that, but for us it’s about the level of performance, replicating that.

“You come into these scenarios, home to Holland, away to Germany, is there a more difficult double-header you could have? Having come through these two games, we’ll be ready to play a double-header, regardless of the situation come March.”

Back-to-back defeats against Ronald Koeman’s Dutch side ended Northern Ireland’s hopes of automatic qualification for next summer and, with the Germans also already qualified, there is little at stake tonight.

However, O’Neill admits he would love to get a positive result to carry some momentum into next March, against whoever they end up facing.

“It’s very important to finish on a high note.

“This is possibly the most difficult of places to come to try and get that high note. We have finished the qualifying campaign home and away to Holland and Germany. I think in all the games we have acquitted ourselves very well.

“We were a little bit unfortunate in some of the games. We would hope for something similar tomorrow night and take something from the game. That being said, we know how difficult that will be.

“This is German team is a relatively new team. It’s a team that is developing quite quickly and will become a top side again.”