Michael O'Neill: Northern Ireland face different challenges against San Marino and Germany
Friday 7 October 2016 16:34, UK
Michael O'Neill believes preparing Northern Ireland to play teams at opposite ends of the football spectrum is the toughest task in the international game.
O'Neill's side will host San Marino - a side which has not avoided defeat in a World Cup qualifier in the last 15 years - at the fully redeveloped Windsor Park on Saturday.
After that, they will head to Hanover to take on world champions Germany in what is expected to be the toughest fixture of their group.
While the Germans are a daunting prospect, San Marino are ranked a lowly 201st in the FIFA rankings and O'Neill acknowledges the contrast.
He said: "That transition is the most difficult part of international football. I always remember the first game in charge where we were away to (Fabio) Capello's Russia.
"We had to be difficult to beat and then we had to get back from Russia, turn the team around and play Luxembourg here with a totally different approach and different personnel.
"We're a lot better equipped for that now. I think we also benefit from the fact that it's only three months or so since we played Germany in Paris.
"We know what to expect. It's the difference in terms of changes of personnel that will be important in that game as well.
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"Whilst it is a difficult task - and it's made more difficult because there's a day less - our focus is to win the first game.
"The most important part of any game, more than being tactically ready, is being mentally right and if you win the first game you'll be mentally right for the second."
San Marino's visit to Belfast will see Northern Ireland play a home international at Windsor Park for the first time since a two and a half-year redevelopment programme was completed.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino will be part of the 18,000-strong crowd, along with some of the country's finest sportsmen such as Carl Frampton, Dennis Taylor and Pat Jennings.
O'Neill joked: "I've not been part of that but we've wheeled out everyone, haven't we? These are nice nights. Windsor had a slow death, let's be honest.
"Bit by bit, it was closed off but the redevelopment has been fantastic and it's a fresh start on the back of the team's success at Euro 2016.
"The most important thing is what is the atmosphere going to be like? The atmosphere will be fantastic. I think it will be a very atmospheric stadium."
