IRELAND’S 1-0 FRIENDLY win in Malta last November is forgettable in almost all aspects bar a late debut off the bench.
Mark Sykes made his debut in the final minutes of the game, becoming the first Belfast-born player to win an Irish senior international cap in 76 years.
It was a long time coming for Sykes on a personal level, too. He declared for Ireland in 2020 and had been in multiple squads without getting on the pitch, forced to wait for what was Ireland’s final game of 2022.
“It was unbelievable for me and obviously a dream come true to represent Ireland”, Sykes told reporters at FAI HQ in Abbottstown today. “I know it was only a few minutes and I’ve mentioned before it wasn’t the biggest game in the world but for me it felt unbelievable. Like I said it was a dream come true.
“People in the area [at home on Ormeau Road] were wishing me well all week. When I went back my primary school had a homecoming as such for me. It makes me feel proud to do something so good for the people back home, you know obviously being the first person from Belfast in a long time to do such a thing. I was well pleased but hopefully there’s more to come.”
Sykes played at underage level for Northern Ireland and was subject to overtures from current senior boss Michael O’Neill, but said he endured no backlash to making his debut for Stephen Kenny’s side.
“If there was I haven’t seen anything, but there shouldn’t be any backlash anyway. I feel like I’ve mentioned this many times now: an Irish player playing for Ireland, I don’t see the problem. For me it was all positive.”
Roy Keane described Sykes’ decision to switch as “brave”, but Sykes doesn’t fully see it that way.
“Yes, brave in a way as there may be a bit of backlash and people not thinking it was the right thing to do, but I’ve said in many interviews now that it’s not them who is living my life”, said Sykes.
“I’m out there putting the sacrifice and hard work in and I made that decision full well knowing what is going to happen. I knew it was going to be a difficult decision because I feel like if I was to stay, which is something I wouldn’t have wanted to do, I feel my foot was already in the door, and never being around the Ireland setup I knew it was going to be difficult. But thankfully now with club performances I feel I have deserved my chance here and hopefully this week I can get some more minutes.
“I don’t know if there is anything set up in the North for young lads to come through in the FAI. For me, it was always the Northern Ireland set-up that was there when I was younger. And to be honest, I don’t mind saying it: I wasn’t the best player when I was younger. I wasn’t the top of the tree. I wasn’t always getting picked. If I was the best player, someone might have came down and had a look. For me, until I got a little bit older – I didn’t move to England until I was 20 or 21 – whenever that came out, I believe the FAI had an interest. And for me it was unbelievable that they did.”
Sykes has impressed this season for Bristol City of the Championship, playing primarily as a right-sided attacker but occasionally at right-back. And among the opponents he has faced in that unfamiliar position? Manchester City.
“As soon as you switch off, you get punished”, Sykes says of City, whom he faced with Bristol City in the FA Cup earlier this season, losing 3-0. “The coaching is obviously top quality, the players are worth millions and millions and I think they’d £380 million on the bench, something like that, that’s the step up in class.”
Another step up in class beckons in seven days time, when France visit the Aviva Stadium for the opening of the Euro 2024 qualification campaign. Before that is a friendly tune-up against Latvia on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be difficult”, says Sykes. “I’m just off the back of playing Man City with Bristol City so I know how difficult those games can be but we’re ready for it you know? We’ll work this week and hopefully we can put a good performance in.”
Sykes and the Irish squad gathered at Abbottstown today for their first training session ahead of that Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with no fresh injuries to report.
Adam Idah has linked up with the squad to in a bid to prove his fitness for the game against France, despite the fact he had been ruled out by his manager at Norwich, David Wagner following a foot injury against Huddersfield last week.
Idah has nonetheless flown to Dublin to be assessed by the Irish staff and while he will definitely miss Wednesday’s friendly with Latvia, there are hopes he may be fit to feature against the French.
