JOHN O’SHEA has insisted it will not be a case of ‘Don’t mention the score’ in this Ireland camp.
And he hopes their 5-0 pasting to England turns out to be a freak result, much like he believes Bulgaria’s defeat to Northern Ireland by the same scoreline was.
Ireland are in action for the first time since their woeful Wembley whipping in November in the first leg of their Nations League promotion/relegation play-off in Plovdiv on Thursday.
Ryan Manning and Andy Moran have been drafted into the squad to replace Callum O’Dowda and Will Smallbone.
Assistant boss O’Shea reckons they cannot avoid touching on their last game but is adamant it will not overshadow preparations.
O’Shea said: “Among the staff especially, obviously we debriefed it a lot.
“But you don’t want to dwell on it either because it is such a short week, in terms of getting the ideas across about Bulgaria, a tough away game to start, and then bringing them back to Dublin.
“There will be pointers, that will be mentioned over the next few days but ultimately not to dwell on it too much because a few days before that, you had a victory as well.
“So there is positives and always things to learn.”
Bulgiara were beaten 5-0 by Northern Ireland in Belfast a month earlier but conceded just one goal in their five other Nations League matches.
And O’Shea said: “You see their run of results and it’s tight games, clean sheets and not many goals scored
“Obviously there is that one strange result shall we say against Northern Ireland, but they’re very competitive and a good test, a proper test, but one we’re well able for.
“We’re looking to be sure the team we pick can perform to a level that can win the game.
“It’s getting that balance right, making sure we can do the business in both games, but look after the first game first, it’s a tough away game and make sure we have something to play for when we get back to Dublin.”
And O’Shea hopes Ireland will not lose too much with the late changes to their 23-man squad.
He said: “We have always spoke about a very competitive squad and very tight calls. Callum has been playing week in, week out with Cardiff, a really good level.
“Will has just got back into the Southampton team, played two good games against Chelsea and Liverpool but has picked up a little knock.
“Ryan has been getting back into that Southampton team as well, different spells, starting, coming on, affecting it.
“Andy is just out of the team at the minute but he’s had loads of minutes with Stoke. They’re tight calls and we’re delighted to have the two lads in.”
O’Shea has no fears about the mood of keeper Caoimhín Kelleher after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup defeat or James Abankwah following his red card for Watford.
He said: “They’re two brilliant characters.
“I think James’s red card would be a perfect example of a younger player getting used to the Championship as well, he’s had massive highs and a couple of little dips as well.
“But the performance level that he has been able to reach so quickly has been great to see, he’s probably been the star performers towards the end of the Under-21 campaign as well. He’s on very much an upward trajectory.
“And obviously with Caoimhín, it was nice of him to let Newcastle win a trophy, a first one in a while, he got a few of them, so he’ll be OK, he’ll be sound.”
