Duff remains positive
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Ireland winger Damien Duff believes that his team's 0-0 draw against Slovakia on Friday night in their European Championship Group B encounter has not put an end to their qualification hopes for next summer's finals in Poland and Ukraine. “Yeah obviously it was a very disappointing result. We wanted a win tonight and it would have been a big three points but it's not the end of the world.”
The Fullham winger also insisted that it is important to take your chances in crucial games such as this one “In games like this you're not going to get an awful lot of chances, so when they do come you have to take them. They are a good team. They've been to major finals in the past few years .”
Duff revealed what Ireland's gameplan was for the second half after being asked what Giovanni Trapattoni had to say at the break “The manager didn't say much at half time, just more of the same. Just keep a clean sheet, and we would expect to score and win the game.”
Duff also believes that Sean St Ledger will be a loss for the trip to Moscow after picking up a second yellow card, but does believe that whoever comes in will be a capable replacement “Yeah it's a massive loss. Since he (St Ledger) has come in a few years ago, he has done brillant. He will be a big loss, but I'm sure whoever comes in for him will do a good job.”
Ireland's number 11 thinks that Group B is still wide open and that Ireland will have to produce another excellent away performance under Trapattoni against Russia on Tuesday “It's a massive two points that we've lost tonight. You have to win your home games really. It's very disappointing, but there's still an awful lot to play for. They've got Russia at home and we've got Russia away so there's still a long way to go. In the big games away from home we've done well under Mr. Trapattoni. You just have to look at France away a couple of years ago, so a performance along them lines would be nice.” concluded Duff.
The Fullham winger also insisted that it is important to take your chances in crucial games such as this one “In games like this you're not going to get an awful lot of chances, so when they do come you have to take them. They are a good team. They've been to major finals in the past few years .”
Duff revealed what Ireland's gameplan was for the second half after being asked what Giovanni Trapattoni had to say at the break “The manager didn't say much at half time, just more of the same. Just keep a clean sheet, and we would expect to score and win the game.”
Duff also believes that Sean St Ledger will be a loss for the trip to Moscow after picking up a second yellow card, but does believe that whoever comes in will be a capable replacement “Yeah it's a massive loss. Since he (St Ledger) has come in a few years ago, he has done brillant. He will be a big loss, but I'm sure whoever comes in for him will do a good job.”
Ireland's number 11 thinks that Group B is still wide open and that Ireland will have to produce another excellent away performance under Trapattoni against Russia on Tuesday “It's a massive two points that we've lost tonight. You have to win your home games really. It's very disappointing, but there's still an awful lot to play for. They've got Russia at home and we've got Russia away so there's still a long way to go. In the big games away from home we've done well under Mr. Trapattoni. You just have to look at France away a couple of years ago, so a performance along them lines would be nice.” concluded Duff.
