CONOR Bradley insists that Northern Ireland “definitely won’t fear anyone” in next year’s World Cup play-offs.
Michael O’Neill’s mostly young men will have to record at least one away victory – a rare feat – in order to qualify for the 2026 tournament.
Yet, although they will also face a Pot 1 team away from home in the play-off semi-finals, the Liverpool player remains confident about chances of progress:
“I think we’ve come on quite a lot in the last few campaigns, the Nations League and this campaign and I think we just need to try and keep continuing on that upwards trajectory.
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“We definitely won’t fear anyone. I think it’s all to play for and it’s two games away from a World Cup so there’s no point fearing anyone.”
The Tyrone man acknowledged disappointment at his own performance, the result in Kosice, and Slovakia’s in-your-face celebrations and taunts afterwards:
“Nothing got put towards me, but yeah, it was disappointing, really.
“I think when we beat them in Belfast, I think we had a bit more class about us after the game.
“They were sort of giving it a bit more. It’s disappointing but I’m sure we’ll see them again.”
Slovakia skipper Milan Skriniar (14) celebrates their goal, scored by substitute Tomas Bobcek (not pictured).
Slovakia skipper Milan Skriniar (14) celebrates their goal, scored by substitute Tomas Bobcek (not pictured). Pic: Ben Whitley/PA Wire.(Ben Whitley)
The Slovaks’ delight was understandable, the victory keeping alive their hopes of automatic qualification, although they will need to beat Group A leaders Germany in Leipzig on Monday night in order to top the section.
The hosts had two ‘goals’ ruled out by VAR, for an offside and a handball, and Bradley believes that influenced Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs’s non-decision for what the visitors felt was a push on centre back Daniel Ballard:
“It’s a foul on Dan. I think everyone sees it. I think probably his decision’s influenced by the fact he’s gave two [disallowed] before that. But yeah, it’s disappointing for us…
“It wasn’t a great game to be honest. There wasn’t much good football played, but I felt like we deserved the point at the bare minimum and we didn’t get that.”
In this observer’s opinion Slovakia merited their win. NI were without their first choice midfield three of Shea Charles (hamstring), Ali McCann (broken arm), and Ethan Galbraith (suspension).
In their absence, Bradley pushed into a midfield role, and George Saville and Brad Lyons also came into that department.
Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley applauds the fans after the loss to Slovakia.
Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley applauds the fans after the loss to Slovakia. Pic: Ben Whitley/PA Wire.(Ben Whitley)
The 22-year-old Bradley acknowledged that it wasn’t a good night for him:
“I think it was a difficult game to get into, whether I was playing as wing-back or a 10. It just wasn’t a great game of football. I don’t think the pitch helped at all.
“Michael put me in a different role and I tried to give my all, help the boys as much as possible.
“I don’t feel like I had probably my best game that I’ve had for Northern Ireland but I just tried to work as hard as I could and help the boys as much as possible.
We’re going to have moments like this. It’s obviously a difficult game. Slovakia are a good team.”
This NI side is still developing, and Bradley expected such bumps along the road:
“We’re going to have moments like this. It’s obviously a difficult game. Slovakia are a good team.
“Any game where you come away from home, it’s always going to be so difficult. I think we need to watch it back first and see what we can learn. But I think the more you get experience of these situations the more you can definitely learn from it and hopefully we can do that.
“Every game away from home I’ve found in international football - I think that’s probably my biggest learning so far, is how difficult away games.
“You can be thrown onto any pitch like tonight where I felt it wasn’t great and they’re always difficult.”
On the upside, qualification remains a possibility, as the Aghyaran man stressed:
“It’s nice to get a play-off, obviously it’s going to be brilliant.
“It’s going to be difficult but we’re really looking forward to it and hopefully we’ll have some of the boys back fit, make sure boys aren’t suspended for things and then really looking forward to it.
“We’re two games away from being at a World Cup, which is pretty special.”