Martin O’Neill intensifies pursuit of Aston Villa star Jack Grealish after Ireland’s disappointing result against Scotland

Martin O’Neill keen for Jack Grealish to play a part in Ireland’s qualifiers
The Aston Villa star can choose to play for the Irish or England
Roy Hodgson is known to be keeping an eye on the 19-year-old
O’Neill thinks that the promise of game time could sway his decision

Published:
22:02 GMT, 14 June 2015

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Updated:
22:51 GMT, 14 June 2015

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Martin O’Neill has given a strong indication that Aston Villa starlet Jack Grealish would play an important part in the remainder of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign if he chooses to play for them instead of England.

Ireland’s need for Grealish has intensified after dropping points in a 1-1 home draw against Scotland on Saturday. It left O’Neill’s team fourth in the Group D table and needing at least three wins in their remaining four matches against Gibraltar, Georgia, Germany and Poland to have a chance of reaching France next summer.

O’Neill blames a lack of creativity and goals in midfield for his country’s predicament, something 19-year-old Grealish would be able to help with. Aside from a romp against Gibraltar in Dublin, Ireland have only scored five goals in five group games.

Jack Grealish is being chased by Martin O’Neill who wants him the play for Ireland

O’Neill was disappointed at dropping points to Scotland and has intensified his chase for the Aston Villa star

The manager has revealed making a direct appeal to Grealish who was born in Birmingham but has an Irish father. The player has asked for more time before making a decision on who he wants to play for.

‘What I’ve said to him is that he’s a fairly decent chance, a better chance, of getting into our team than he would have of getting into England in the foreseeable future. There’s wee things we think that we might be able to help along the way’,’ said O’Neill.

Asked whether would be drafted straight into the team for their next qualifiers in September, O’Neill added: ‘If he did do (pick Ireland), then we would really have to look at that. It’s a good point, but it’s ifs and buts at this stage. I really think that you’d have to ask Jack and the family themselves.’

Although Grealish has yet to score a senior goal for Villa, he was man-of-the-match in their FA Cup semi-final victory against Liverpool at Wembley and scored five goals during a loan spell at Notts County when he was just 18.

The 19-year-old played for Ireland at Under 21 level but is yet to make a decision on his international future

O’Neill believes his presence would give his side extra firepower. Jon Walters, who scored the opening goal in Dublin, has just six goals in 33 internationals and his fellow midfielders at the weekend James McCarthy, James McClean, Wes Hoolahan, Jeff Hendrick and Glenn Whelan have netted only eight times between them in more than 150 appearances. Aiden McGeady, who was injured, has five in 76.

‘We have to try and become more creative. We have to have midfield players trying to get goals. This is it,’ admitted the manager.

‘Players have played a lot of international matches and we don’t score a lot of goals. It’s unfortunately there in black and white, I believe attacking midfield players should not be thinking of coming off that field without having at least three or four shots in a game.’

The clash between Ireland and Scotland was ill-tempered but O’Neill’s side really needed all three points

With leading scorer Robbie Keane on the bench following the death of his two cousins in a gas poisoining accident last week, Ireland tried to intimidate the Scots physically which worked until Shaun Maloney’s 47th minute shot deflected off John O’Shea for an equalising goal.

Scotland, looking to qualify for their first major finals since the 1998 World Cup, are currently in the play-off spot in the group but have the top two Poland and Germany yet to play in Glasgow.

Their skipper Scott Brown condemned an elbow in the face by Everton and Ireland midfielder James McCarthy on Russell Martin and insisted Scotland are a superior team to their hosts.

Scott Brown (right) has condemned the actions of James McCarthy after an incident involving Russell Martin

The Norwich City defender was left with a blooded face after the Everton player caught him with an arm

‘They should have had a red card. It was a shocking challenge on Russell. It was elbow-high and could easily have broken his nose or done something worse,’ said the Celtic midfielder.

‘They tried to come out and get in our faces and make a few late tackles. I’m sure Roy (Keane, Ireland’s assistant manager) would have loved that.

‘I think we know that we are better than them. It was them kicking it long and us trying to pass it. We’ve got our strengths but we don’t have a lot of height to be perfectly honest. We try to find holes and find pockets. We’re a small team but we have great attitude and great work-rate.’

Scotland face Georgia on September 4 before welcoming Germany to Hampden Park on September 7.