Martin O’Neill now has options for tougher tests in store

And especially one which was played at a pedestrian pace to begin with, with Poland manager Jerzy Brzeczek afterwards lamenting his side’s slow start in Wroclaw.

“I’m not responsible for how Poland started and I thought we started fine,” counters O’Neill. “But, yes, maybe their slowness allowed us that 10-minute period where we were able to pass the ball nicely and players started to become comfortable with it. John Egan is, I think, comfortable with the ball anyway. We started to play it through midfield. The idea was that if there’s nothing forward, don’t lose possession, be confident with it, come back the way and then we can go out the other side.

“So, yeah, I take the point entirely. Maybe (because it was a friendly) that part of it is hard to gauge but overall we played three at the back and I think that will help us during the course of proceedings as we go forward, in the sense that whatever system we start with, at least the players now become adaptable and if we have to go with the wing-back situation we have the players to do that.”

In that context, asked if he had been tempted to start Matt Doherty on Tuesday, O’Neill replied: “Yeah, absolutely. I said to him the night before that I didn’t know whether I was going to start him or not. He’s having a really good time, playing regularly with Wolves. Not everyone in our side is playing regularly and certainly not everyone is playing regularly in the Premier League.

“And when he came on I thought he did fine. He’s come up and won a couple of really strong headers from our kickouts. But really my own view — and I think he totally agrees with me — is that the way Wolves play at times, when he’s out wide he’ll look to pass it infield again. And I believe he can drive forward with it. When he gets the confidence to do that I believe he can do it because he’s strong. Cyrus Christie will try and drive forward like that in that position. But overall I was pleased to get him on the field of play. Certainly, on that side of the field we have got a bit of competition.”

And would Doherty be an option on the left side?

“If you’re playing the three at the back and two wide players in that sort of system, I think generally you would probably try and opt for a left-footer playing on that particular side. But Doc has played in that position before and he’s done fine. When I first saw him he was actually playing left-back for Wolves in a back four. And, to be fair, if you think about Ashley Young who played there in front of Danny Rose in the World Cup, then I think Doc would be adaptable to it. But obviously his preferred position at the moment is as a wing-back because that’s what he’s doing week in, week out at club level.”

O’Neill also has words of praise for the performances in Poland of the Millwall duo of Shaun Williams and Aiden O’Brien in Poland. Williams, he says, “exuded calmness” and “kept things ticking over” in midfield, while O’Brien “did exceptionally well” with his “strength, enthusiasm and energy” as well, of course, as scoring a fine goal on what was his debut appearance.

“So, very, very pleased,” says the manager. “Will the two of them be in the squad for the games coming up? Yes. Then l’ll see how we are in terms of personnel. The other night was a great boost to confidence. We adapted well, and really did play well in terms of getting on the ball and feeling we could deal with it. Young (Callum) O’Dowda dealt with it brilliantly in the game. So, yes, there are options but, naturally, if, say, Robbie Brady comes back fit in the next couple of weeks, because of what he’s done for us in the past and because of his delivery as well in terms of set pieces, that would be a great boost for us.”

Again, the theme is that O’Neill will want his strongest possible options available for what he knows well will be much tougher tests next month, especially after seeing Denmark put two past the Welsh team that put four past Ireland. The manager says he wasn’t surprised by the result in Copenhagen.

“Denmark went out on penalties to Croatia, the side that eventually reached the World Cup final,” he points out.

“Denmark, they’re no mugs. So it didn’t come as a phenomenal shock — when I realised they had all their players back and the situation had been resolved — that they could win. Eriksen scores the goals. Bale scored against us.

“It does help when you’ve got world class players at your disposal.

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