Changed times for Mick McCarthy but the same outlook. If he succeeded in splitting Portugal and Holland in the last qualification campaign all of 18 years ago, the Ireland manager is not fretting at the task of doing likewise to Switzerland and Denmark in his second stint. Abseiled into the job for one mission, and one mission only, to avoid the embarrassment of the FAI hosting games at the Euro 2020 finals as mere observers, the short road to Dublin has become that bit clearer. There will be none of the play-off roulette he had to navigate during the three campaigns under his previous stewardship. Secure a top-two finish by next November from a group that also includes Georgia and Gibraltar and Ireland will be…

Source: The Times December 03, 2018 00:04 UTC