TRNAVA — Michael O'Neill says Northern Ireland will not dwell on the memories of their famous Euro 2016 win over Ukraine as the sides meet again in Slovakia, insisting his youthful squad must write its own history a decade on from that day in Lyon. The hailstones that halted play, Gareth McAuley's header, Niall McGinn's late strike and the endless renditions of 'Will Grigg's on fire' still define one of the most famous days in Northern Ireland's history, but O'Neill's focus is firmly on what lies ahead.
"We don't keep reflecting back on that game and telling the players this is what we aspire to be," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI in Trnava. "This team hopefully can write its own history and we have to allow them to do that." He added: "We may use certain examples of players from those games at Euro 2016 - the likes of Steven Davis, Jonny Evans, Gareth McAuley or Stuart Dallas - as good examples for players to aspire to be. But for me, this team is about the future and what lies ahead."
Of the squad in Slovakia — hosting the game due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia — only two players from the Euros squad remain in Josh Magennis and Paddy McNair, 31, while former captain Steven Davis is now a key member of O'Neill's coaching team. The turnover is stark: Ceadach O'Neill and Braiden Graham were only eight years old at Euro 2016, while Trai Hume, Shea Charles, Isaac Price and Brodie Spencer were still a few years away from taking their GCSEs. The average age of the starting team in Georgia was just 23, dropping to 22.5 against Hungary.
The ultimate aim is a first major tournament since 2016 when the Euros return in 2028, and the return to the second tier of the Nations League has started positively. Shea Charles scored a 99th-minute winner in Georgia before a goalless draw at home to Hungary, where Northern Ireland held firm against Dominik Szoboszlai's side despite tired legs from the 5,000-mile return trip to Tbilisi. They had earlier kept Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet in the opener. O'Neill described Ukraine as favourites on Friday night, noting manager Andrea Maldera made 10 changes between their opening 1-0 win in Hungary and goalless draw with Georgia, and said Ukraine's strength lies in the collective rather than individual stars. "We haven't highlighted any one individual, but we've looked very closely at how they play, with the ball and without the ball, and I believe their strength is in the collective of the team," he said.