SEAMUS COLEMAN insists that the Republic of Ireland are still capable of pulling off ‘a big result’ as they bid to get Euro 2020 qualification back on track.
Ireland face Switzerland in Geneva on Tuesday night after a drab 0-0 draw against Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday afternoon.
Ireland will now likely need to win in Switzerland tomorrow night or overcome Denmark in Dublin next month to book a ticket to the finals.
“We’ll probably have to win one of them. I do think we’re capable of a big result, I’ve always said that,” Irish captain Coleman said.
“I think over the last few years we’ve proven that, bar that bad year last year, but we are capable of big results.
“We have to go for it anyway Tuesday night. We won’t be sitting back, the game might dictate that you might sit back but we’ll be going there looking for the win.
“We always want to win the game — playing for draws and stuff like that is dangerous anyway.”
Although Ireland failed to score against Georgia, Coleman stressed the importance of a clean sheet at the Boris Paichadze Arena.
The Everton defender said: “I know you all want to see amazing pretty football, but you have to keep clean sheets and that’s something that we’ve been quite good at for this manager.
“We would have liked to have a bit more quality up front, but first and foremost a clean sheet is No 1.
“People won’t be happy at home. Maybe yourselves, the Press, won’t be happy with how we played. We would have liked to have won the game and played a little bit better but sometimes it’s not like that and it’s about not getting beat.
“It might not be very pretty at times but as a back four, back five, holding midfield players, your job is to keep a clean sheet.
“We wanted to win this game but then you come back in and you realise you got a point, you got a clean sheet and we’re capable of a big result.”
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