Martin O'Neill: Ireland must scrap for 'every single particle' to qualify for Euro 2016
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill insists his side must scrap to qualify for Euro 2016
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND manager Martin O'Neill has warned that his team will have to scrap for "every single particle" if they are to realise their dream of a second successive trip to the European Championship finals.
 
The Republic received a timely boost to their hopes of taking part in Euro 2016 in France on Friday evening when a 4-0 victory over Gibraltar, coupled with Scotland's 1-0 defeat in Georgia, left them in third place in Group D and with one hand on a play-off berth.
However, while ambitions may have been rekindled, O'Neill knows that will change rapidly if they fail to beat the Georgians at the Aviva Stadium tonight, ahead of next month's double-header against leaders Germany and early pace-setters Poland.
"We all have a habit of getting ahead of ourselves," he said. "I heard something one day that it is ours to lose. We have a game against Germany, we have a game against Poland, we have this tough game here against a resurgent Georgia side who will come here with plenty of confidence - they have just beaten Scotland.
 
Martin O'Neill: Ireland must scrap for 'every single particle' to qualify for Euro 2016
Skipper Robbie Keane claims victory against Georgia will be 'massive'
"Things are difficult for us. At this minute, we are not capable of being like Spain, of being able to wipe the floor with somebody. We have to fight for every single particle there is going.
"We have to battle for it. We have to find some ways of winning football matches. We are in there, we are in there fighting - we were even if Scotland had won, we were still in the mix.
"But we are far from anything, anything at all. I can't even consider October at all until we get points on the board. We need to win - that has to be our total and utter focus and that is the players'."
 
O'Neill's caution has not been lost on his players, who know any slip-up against Georgia could prove fatal, although their belief that they can qualify remains intact.
Skipper Robbie Keane said: "We put pressure on ourselves anyway from the start of the campaign. We are quite capable of qualifying out of this group, so the players are well aware that the pressure has always been on from the start, so I don't think it has changed us too much as a group of players.
"It's a must-win game, there's no question. It's a massive, massive game. But all we can do is be prepared right for it and, since the first day we walked in through this door, the players have been ready."
Republic or Ireland v Georgia, 7.45pm. TV: Sky Sports 2.

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