O'Neill ready to "change a few things around" for meeting with Uruguay

Sam McKeever reporting from Abbottstown

Martin O’Neill and Robbie Brady took the press conference ahead of the friendly against Uruguay in the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night.

Ireland has a full strength squad adding nine new players to the pack ahead of the Uruguay game.

O’Neill said that there will be changes to the squad saying that; “There’ll be a few players that will need to play on Sunday. We will need to change a few things around in the team

Sean Maguire this morning completed his move to Preston North End, a side he will join at the end of July, and O’Neill was full of praise for the Cork City striker after seeing him bag a hat-trick last night against Dundalk.

“His movement was fantastic in the game against Dundalk and has improved since I last saw him in the cup final last year I think that the move to England will benefit him as a player and will improve him.”

Maguire has scored 16 league goals for Cork so far this season and has impressed O’Neill and his coaching staff with his performances this season with many clubs looking at him in England until he was snapped up by Preston recently.

It has been a stop start season for Robbie Brady as injuries have held up his playing time for Burnley this season who he moved to in January from championship side Norwich City.

“It was tough to miss the Wales game. I can’t wait to be back involved in these games. I’m ready to play. I have been around the Ireland setup for a number of years now and want to play on the big stage.”

“Players like Robbie need playing time the season in England have finished up quite a few weeks ago and the trip to America for the game against Mexico has benefitted some.”

Brady featured only in the last international break in the friendly against Iceland which ended as a 1-0 defeat for Ireland back in March.

“Everyone in the squad wants to play we are not thinking about holidays until we finish the job against Uruguay and Austria the week after.”

“We are okay in terms of Injury doubts we have spoken to most of the squad and the players and fine and are raring to go.”

O’Neill is hopeful for results against Uruguay and Austria knowing they will be tough games like the one against Mexico in New Jersey. A win against Uruguay tomorrow evening would surely set us up nicely for the game against Austria on June the 11^th.