Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill hoping for 'blazing' start against France
Sunday 26 June 2016 15:59, UK
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill insists he has no plans to field a defensive team against France and instead expects his players to start their last 16 match in "blazing" fashion.
Ireland produced a superb display to defeat Italy 1-0 on Wednesday evening and O'Neill says he will look to replicate that performance when his side take on the hosts in Lyon on Sunday.
"I have spent my time in the last two years in qualification sending out what I would consider adventurous teams to win games," said the 64-year-old, whose side drew with Sweden and lost to Belgium in their two other Group E matches.
"We played a very adventurous game against Sweden, we weren't allowed to play well against Belgium and that can happen because they are a top-class side.
"They are rated one or two in the world at the moment, so that might tell you something about them and they are entitled to be able to pass it past us occasionally.
"In the game against Italy, we knew needed some extra energy in the team. We have some older players playing, certainly in their 30s, so we had to get that energy into the side, which we did. We played brilliantly.
"But I don't think you would want to head out of the competition meekly, that's the most important thing. You want to go out blazing if you can and we want to try to stay in it because we feel we can do something."
O'Neill admits he has been preparing his squad for a long afternoon in Lyon, and has been practicing penalty taking with his players ahead of the match.
"We have practised the penalties pretty well consistently, but in all honesty, replicating that on the training ground where all players want to take the penalties - all of them, including he goalkeepers, everybody wants to take a penalty," he said.
"I wonder what it will be like if we do get to a shoot-out? That might be slightly different. I have seen great players in the past out on the field and when it has come to penalty shoot-outs in European Cup finals, they down tools and don't take them.
"I think that it will depend obviously on who is on the pitch at the time if it comes to that, but we have done as much as we possibly can in that aspect."
O'Neill also revealed that full-back Stephen Ward, who suffered an ankle injury against Italy, has improved but remains a doubt for the game.
Meanwhile, striker Jonathan Walters could be in contention to face Didier Deschamps' side after recovering from his achilles problem.
