Northern Ireland v Netherlands

Words Mark McIntosh The Sun

DREAMING OF DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL

Michael Smith insists Northern Ireland’s stars are determined to give Michael O’Neill the Windsor Park send-off he deserves.

“Obviously we know how difficult both games are going to be but everyone is excited by the challenge. “At the start of this campaign we wanted to keep the possibility of qualifying for the Euros automatically alive going into the last game and that’s still a possibility.” He realises to do that Northern Ireland will have to get a big result against the Netherlands, however he insists that is something the players believe they are capable of doing. He pointed out: “I think everyone could see from our performance in Rotterdam that we are capable of competing with the best teams and hopefully with the WIndsor Park crowd behind us we can do something special.

Tonight’s Euro 2020 qualifier against the Netherlands could be his final home game in charge after he accepted the Stoke City job last week. O’Neill has an agreement in place with the Championship club and the Irish FA to see out the campaign with the team - be it the final two Group C games or further - and with a sold-out National Football Stadium backing them to the hilt anything is possible. Last month’s defeat in Rotterdam was a sucker punch but Hearts defender Smith believes their hopes of qualifying are still alive and kicking. “We’re all really looking forward to these two games and hopefully ending the group off on a real high,” said Smith.

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