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"The buck stops with the players" - Gary Breen on Ireland's creativity deficit

Gary Breen feels the points Ireland gained against Gibraltar should supersede complaints over the...



Videos

"The buck stops with the players" - Gary Breen on Ireland's creativity deficit

Gary Breen feels the points Ireland gained against Gibraltar should supersede complaints over the lack of goals.

Mick McCarthy's side laboured to a 2-0 win at the Aviva Stadium in the Euro 2020 qualifier.

But while the performance leaves a lot to be desired, Ireland have 10 points from 12 games.

"It wasn't very good, no. But it is what it is in terms of the 10 points. Listen, if we'd have beaten them 6-0 or 7-0, what difference would it have made ultimately?" he said.

"I understand the frustration"

"Would we have then said whoever scored the goals is certain to play in the big games in the Autumn? No I don't think they would have. I understand the frustration of course I do on the back of what was a wretched couple of seasons for us.

"But the whole crux of the matter is can we get in a position to qualify? At the same time, I'm not going mad about the fact we have 10 points because we should have 10 points. If we had 10 points from the last four games as opposed to the first four games, then I'd be thinking happy days."

The lack of cutting edge is a concern though and Breen feels the players need to step up their games.

"Ultimately the buck stops with the players," he said.

"I would have been one who would've always stuck up for those players under Martin O'Neill because I was led to believe and I heard a lot that preparation wasn't being done.

"Now, I'm not going to then say that it's the manager's fault again because I know that the preparation is being done [under McCarthy].

"We're getting to a stage now where these players have to take responsibility."

You can listen to the full chat with Gary Breen on the video player above.

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Euro 2020 Football Gary Breen Gibraltar Ireland Mick McCarthy Off The Ball