Glenn Whelan to captain Republic of Ireland against Northern Ireland

Posted Thursday, November 15, 2018 by PA

Glenn Whelan will lead Republic of Ireland out against Northern Ireland knowing his 85th cap is likely to be his last while insisting he will never retire from international football.

The 34-year-old Aston Villa midfielder last pulled on a green shirt 12 months ago when he was used as a late substitute in Ireland’s 0-0 World Cup play-off draw in Denmark, with manager Martin O’Neill starting to turn to a new generation of players.

However, while Whelan is hugely proud of his achievements for his country and knows his time on the international stage has effectively drawn to a close, he is adamant he will still be there if needed.

Sitting alongside O’Neill, he said: “The retirement thing, you are dead and buried and done. Obviously the manager over the last 12 months or so has tried to bed new lads in and that’s the way Ireland are going.

“I’m more than happy with that – these lads have waited a long time and they need to get some caps under their belt.

“Looking at the next couple of years, hopefully we do qualify (for Euro 2020), but I’d be 36 or 37, so I think that’s way off.

“Retirement, as in putting it down on paper, I’d never do that. But I know tomorrow is probably going to be the last time I play for Ireland.

“But I’ve never picked when to come and play for Ireland and I’ll certainly never pick when I’m not going to play. The manager knows that if anything ever happens, I’ll be available.”

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill is expecting a close match between two sides ‘in a similar situation’ when they meet Republic of Ireland in a high-profile friendly on Thursday.

Both teams are in need of a win going into the match at the Aviva Stadium following frustration in the last 12 months.

Northern Ireland have won just two of their last 11 games, while Martin O’Neill’s Republic side have endured a similar stretch with one win in nine.

“Martin’s squad is in transition like ours,” Michael O’Neill said. “I think Shane Long not being available to them is a blow. But we’ll have to deal with players coming in with a real enthusiasm to play, players that want to prove themselves at international level. Much like our players as well.

“With that comes a threat, the eagerness to do well, the eagerness to take the opportunity is something we have to match. They are an incredibly hard working team, even in the results that have gone against them, it’s not been for a lack of endeavour and a lack of commitment or work rate.

“It’s maybe been down to the quality of the opposition. Both teams are in a similar situation at the moment and we expect a tough game.”

Northern Ireland’s main problems have come in front of goal, where they have created 46 chances in their three Nations League games but scored only one goal.

“I’d be more concerned if we weren’t creating chances,” O’Neill said. “If we look back at Bosnia we hit post three times and then in Austria we had opportunities even at 1-0 down.

“I’m not a big one about talking about luck or rub of the green, but I think in the last two campaigns – we won our group and finished second in the group – yet in these three games we’ve arguably created as many chances.

“From that perspective I’m not that concerned because all we need to do is find someone to put the ball into the net.”