It’s all getting a little bit real.
The emails from UEFA regarding tickets have been landing in our inboxes while Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane, fresh from their trip to Super Bowl 50, are turning their focus to the March friendlies with Switzerland and Slovakia.
Euro 2016 preparations are ticking along quite nicely. No major injury worries to concern O’Neill and some fine form being shown, albeit sporadically, by the likes of Seamus Coleman, James McClean, Wes Hoolahan, Shane Long and Glenn Whelan.
We’ve even got the added spice of potential bolters like Brentford’s Alan Judge and Aberdeen’s Adam Rooney to keep the established squad on their toes, and the MLS will return next month for Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle and Sean St Ledger.
But what of our Group E rivals? In the first of a regular series of scouting reports, SportsJOE investigates preparations in Sweden, Belgium and Italy as June looms on the horizon.
Sweden
(Stade de France, 13th June)
Widely accepted as the must-win fixture in a group that includes the world’s top-ranked side and a three-time World Cup winner, you’ll be glad to hear Sweden’s preparations could be going better.
No, Zlatan’s leg haven’t fallen off… you should be so lucky. But their manager Erik Hamren did confirm recently that he is leaving after the Euros, which is never ideal.
He may have failed to reach the World Cup in Brazil and needed to scrape through the play-offs after a third-place finish behind Russia and Austria, but announcing his departure so far out runs the risk of a Manchester City scenario.
Look at how Leicester City and Tottenham effectively put City out of the title race for an idea of how the squad have reacted to the news Manuel Pellegrini is to be replaced by Pep Guardiola.
Handy Scandi
More good news in the shape of veteran goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson not playing a club fixture since conceding three against Besiktas back in October. In fairness, it must be hard to get a game at Kasimpasa, who are currently seventh in the Turkish Super Lig.
Imagine relying on a goalkeeper who is not first choice for his club.
Other than that we can take some solace from the fact midfielder Oscar Lewicki’s last game before Malmo’s off-season was an 8-0 shoeing at the hands of Real Madrid.
There is also Celtic stand-in skipper Mikael Lustig’s indifferent form for the Bhoys, in a Scottish Premiership that is becoming oddly competitive.
St Denis Menace
We could tell you that wideman Jimmy Durmaz is scoring and assisting regularly for Olympiakos or that Martin Ollson is back in the Norwich City side but that is not going to keep you awake at night.
No, there is only one man gonna give you the night sweats this side of the second Monday of June and that is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Just the 21 goals and eight assists in 20 Ligue 1 games for Paris St Germain this season. If the domestic competition isn’t up to snuff he can keep sharp in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 clash with Chelsea.
Remember when there were Irish players in the Champions League?
Transfer talk
Shane Long was not the only Group E attacker on Liverpool’s radar in January. Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg was being eyed up by Jurgen Klopp last month but, with no deal being done, shall remain in Bundesliga 2.
Belgium
(Bordeaux, 18th June)
Not only are Belgium the best team in the World, they also possess the best coach. You could say that is a logical assumption to make, but collecting his gong at the Global Soccer Awards late last year Marc Wilmots tried to deflect attention from himself.
“I’ve never yet seen a manager score a goal,” Wilmots said. “A manager should put in place good methods and make decisions.”
While he has done a fine job in topping a group that included Wales, Israel, Cyprus and Ireland’s play-off opponent Bosnia, the former midfielder is careful not to take too much credit for the Lowlanders’ rise to the top of the FIFA rankings.
Since replacing Georges Leekens back in 2012 Wilmots has been coaching one of the most talented collections of footballers on the planet. Unfortunately for Ireland, this does not seem to have lulled him into a sense of security.
The Red Devil’s in the Detail
The problem with Belgium is too many of their players feature on our television screens every weekend. Hazard, Benteke (when he gets a game), Lukaku, Courtois, Kompany – the Premier League is riddled with lots of well-known, well-paid Red Devils who have put an end to that old joke about naming a famous Belgian.
But away from England there some very impressive, very significant shifts being put in with some of the top clubs across Europe.
Take Dries Mertens, a virtual ever-present in a Napoli team who are breathing down the necks of reigning champions Juventus at the top of Serie A.
A lithe, loose-limbed left winger who likes to cut in on his right foot, the 28 year old will be a worthy opponent for Seamus Coleman and will expect to feature against Villareal in the Europa League on Thursday.
Elsewhere there is Radja Nainggolan at Roma and we’ll also get our first glimpses this year of Axel Witsel and Nicolas Lombaerts on Tuesday when Zenit take on Benfica in the last-16 of the Champions League.
The Russian Premier League does not return until next month, so the crucial pair should be fresh for Belgium’s 29th March friendly with Portugal.
Reasons to raise a glass of Bordeaux
Returning to the gathering of highly-paid Belgians known as the Premier League, you could make the argument not all are earning their sterling right now.
Eden Hazard has fewer Premier League goals (0) than Kolo Toure (1), while Christian Benteke appears to have fallen so far down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order that Divock Origi could be Romelu Lukaku’s deputy in France.
Staying on Merseyside (the Irish Bruges as nobody calls it, ever) you have Simon Mignolet looking like a less safe pair of reserve goalkeeping hands than any of Ireland’s inactive keepers, while Kevin Mirallas’ hot-cold Everton season only looks impressive when compared to Aiden McGeady’s tepid-to-frigid campaign.
Even allowing for Manchester City’s damaged duo of Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne, the English top flight is still awash with scary Belgians.
Thibaut Courtois has conceded eight goals in 2016; Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Moussa Dembele are key cogs in Spurs’ march towards a first title in over 50 years and Lukaku, well Lukaku just terrifies us.
Transfer talk
Eden Hazard is keen to take his brand of erratic, often-infuriating, but never boring, brand of wizardry to Paris St-Germain next season.
Italy
(Lille, 22nd June)
Could Antonio Conte meet Hazard as he leaves Chelsea’s Cobham training ground for the last time? Italy’s manager is one of a gaggle of Europe’s top managers who have been linked with the Chelsea job.
Few would blame the former Juventus manager if he left international football after this summer’s tournament. His time in charge has been marked by spats with clubs, criticism of his tactics and even death threats from Juve fans after they blamed him for an injury suffered by Claudio Marchisio last season.
Difficult to please, Italians. Conte did lead Italy unbeaten through a group that included Croatia, Norway and Bulgaria having rebuilt the squad following the disappointment of the World Cup in Brazil.
Another naysayer is Irish legend Kevin Kilbane, who has claimed Ireland are “man-for-man” just as good as Italy.
“I’ve covered every single Italy game through the qualifiers and, honest to God, I don’t see any real threat within that side,” said Kilbane.
Let’s investigate that, shall we?
Gianluigi Buffon vs Darren Randolph
Currently in his 20th season at the pinnacle of European football, Italian goalkeeping legend Buffon has played 31 matches this season, conceding 22 goals and is currently on a run of six straight clean sheets.
West Ham’s Randolph has kept clean sheets in 60% of his club appearances this season – unfortunately he has been limited to nine outings as Adrian holds down the number one spot at Upton Park.
Matteo Darmian vs Seamus Coleman
A pretty fair fight this one. Both accomplished full-backs at Premier League clubs chasing Europa League qualification. Coleman shades it on account of his greater attacking threat.
Giorgio Chiellini vs John O’Shea
Two committed centre-halves who would put their heads where most wouldn’t put a shovel. John O’Shea’s career has entered a winter of discontent at Sunderland while Chiellini is still operating at Europe’s top table – even if he is expected to miss Juve’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich due to a muscle injury.
Leonardo Bonucci/Andrea Barzaglia vs Richard Keogh
A choice of Juventus mainstays versus the recently reinstated Derby County captain. Keogh is committed but Bonucci is Catenaccio made flesh. As is Barzaglia.
Matteo Di Sciglio vs Stephen Ward
Classy, calm and collected – the young AC Milan defender is Paolo Maldini’s rightful successor on left of AC Milan defence. Enjoying a fine season at the San Siro but, in Ward’s defence, Burnley are unbeaten in the Championship since he fought his way back into the team.
Riccardo Montolivo vs Glenn Whelan
Two veteran defensive midfielders enjoying contrasting seasons. While AC Milan have under-performed this season Whelan has been at the heart of a Stoke season that, while wobbling of late, has exceeded expectations.
Claudio Marchisio vs James McCarthy
The beating heart of a dominant Juventus side, Marchisio and McCarthy share a certain uncomplicated style of play that endears them to their own supporters. The Italian makes a great team better, McCarthy is not quite at that level.
Roberto Soriano vs Wes Hoolahan
Seven league goals and four assists for Sampdoria in Serie A this season versus four goals and seven assists for Norwich… Too close to call.
Alessandro Florenzi vs Robbie Brady
The Roma man will be key to the Italians’ hopes of taking something from their Champions League last-16 first leg at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday. His five goals and two assists from midfield compares favourably to Brady’s output for Norwich – even if the Dubliner did score a humdinger at the weekend.
Eder vs Jonathan Walters
It was all going so well for Eder until his January move to Inter. After 14 goals in 21 it has dried up for the Brazilian-born forward, who is yet to find the net for Roberto Mancini’s men. Clearly he is not as good as Walters – who has three goals in his last 10 appearances for Stoke
Graziano Pelle vs Shane Long
This season at Southampton: Longy 8-7 Pelle.
Plus Long can play guitar.
