Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr feels the opposition we face at Euro 2016 isn't as daunting as it looks on paper.
The ex-Ireland left-back Ian Harte joined Off The Ball on stage at tonight's Coppers Roadshow special.
"Italy won seven and drew three in the group, couldn't score more than three goals a match, couldn't get a striker. Pelle from Southampton was the main man. Shane Long is as good as Pelle as the main man if Pelle's going to play. After that they're struggling," he said, before adding that our record against Italy has tended to be quite encouraging.
"Belgium, a pack of very good players playing at a high level but not always the most motivated or together group and Sweden finished third in their group, same as ourselves and beat Denmark in a playoff. No great shakes. [Zlatan] doesn't always play and after that a lot of average enough players I think."
He added that as long as preparation is up to speed, improve defensively at set pieces and have a "good tactical shape", Ireland can get a win and a draw can to take us through to the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, Harte pointed towards the win over Germany as an example of what we can achieve.
"Everybody always writes off the Irish team. You underestimate us, we'll go out and we'll prove it. We proved it against Germany, against one of the best, so going over there and giving our best, hopefully it will be enough. It's a really difficult group with Belgium, Italy and Sweden. It's going to be a difficult task but hopefully the boys can go over and do us proud," he said.
.@offtheball is live on stage with Brian Kerr and Ian Harte from @CopperFaceJacks #OTBCoppers pic.twitter.com/4j27Yq6k4p
— Newstalk (@NewstalkFM) April 14, 2016
Harte also spoke about going down the players' agent route as his post-playing career begins in earnest, and also spoke about why he has no interest in going down the coaching route.
Meanwhile, Kerr also discussed the effect defeat had on him throughout his managerial career, including while in charge of Ireland.
"When he went to Levante, it meant I got to go to Spain a lot." - Kerr on the perks of Harte's Spanish move #OTBCoppers
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 14, 2016
"Even some of the draws were disappointing. We lost four and a blackness came over me after each of those. I pretended I was okay but I wasn't okay because I felt I had the responsibility of the whole country," he said, contrasting the difference with managing the Faroe Islands, given that he lived here while in charge of the Boys in Green.
But he also said that despite the effect defeat can have, managing Ireland was an enjoyable experience and a privilege to have that responsibility.
