IT WOULD BE “unthinkable” to offer Martin O’Neill a new contract if Ireland fail to beat Georgia, Richie Sadlier said.
The Euro 2016 race was blown wide open this evening as Ireland beat Gibraltar while Scotland were shocked in Georgia.
It leaves Ireland third in Group D and resurrects their chances of making it to France next summer — but only if they can back it up with a win on Monday evening.
Anything less “will be the end of (O’Neill’s) time as manager surely,” Sadlier said on RTÉ afterwards.
“He wouldn’t get a new contract if we fail to win on Monday.
“You would assume we can’t give Martin O’Neill a new contract if we finish fourth in this group. That’s the likely outcome if we lose on Monday.
It’s unthinkable.
Three points on Monday would leave Ireland in control of their playoff chance with two games still to come in October against Germany and Poland.
John Giles said: “On Monday night, nobody can help us except ourselves. We’ve got to go do it on Monday night against Georgia.
If we don’t do it against Georgia now that we’ve got a second chance, we don’t deserve anything.
Liam Brady added: “If (O’Neill) doesn’t win it, it will be the worst performance of an Irish team in the group for a long, long time.
“It’s a defining moment for him and his management team.”