Ireland head into tomorrow's match with Switzerland knowing that only a win does any real good for their qualification hopes.
While a draw would most likely mean that Denmark would be already qualified by the time they come to Dublin next month, such a scenario would likely have little impact on that game.
In a sense, the next two fixtures can be viewed like a pair of cup finals. Win one of them and Ireland will qualify for the Euros. Surely a win is all that is on Ireland's minds tomorrow? Not necessarily.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference today, Mick McCarthy admitted that while his side would go out to win, he would be happy with a draw.
Would I be happy with a draw tomorrow? Absolutely...
If we set up to try and get a draw that would be a disaster, no not at all. We try to win every game. It might not look like that when you are getting pushed back by good sides, but we're playing against good teams.
Having seen these against Denmark, they are a very good side.
When asked if a draw would really be a good result considering that it does essentially nothing for our qualification hopes, McCarthy doubled down.
The upside of it is that a draw in Switzerland, against Switzerland who have qualified for how many tournaments over the last 20 years? Have they been in every one?
We're here again talking about if I'd be happy with a draw. I wonder if there is some thought process thinking that I'm being negative for thinking that a draw in Switzerland would be a good result...
The very first question I was asked I said that we are going to try and win the game. We will try and win the game. If we end up with a draw, I'll take it and I'll be happy with it. That was both before the tournament and now.
Taking a draw has been a theme of the Ireland manager's mentality throughout this qualification campaign, but this one seems odd. While a draw away from home against a good Switzerland side is a decent result in a vacuum, it does little in these circumstances.
In this sense, McCarthy's comments are not the most encouraging. Still, he has made it clear that he will not bow to outside pressures in this campaign.
He also admitted that he is a bit perplexed by the negativity surrounding the team at moment considering they are one game away from qualifying for the Euros.
I keep getting message from people saying 'f the begrudgers' and I'm just thinking 'what the hell is going on? Seriously, what's going on?'
So I ask the question because I haven't sensed that at all, it's just the few text messages that I've gotten...
I just don't get the feeling that the fact that we are within a win of qualifying, I don't get the sense that there is some sort of anticipation about that, or excitement. There should be.
I've just been asked there is it a cup final. No, but I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the prospect that if we do win it...
I don't get a sense in here from you guys (the journalists) that we might win at all and that you might be celebrating that, that you might have the Euros to write about in 2020. I'm not getting that feeling.
