European Qualifier
28.03.2016 at 18:00 - SRC Bonifika, Koper
27th Mar 2016
Noel Kings side suffered a 4-1 loss to Group 2 leaders Italy in Waterford on Thursday but the Irish can get back in the hunt for second spot and an opportunity to reach one of the four play-off spots with a win over the Slovenians.
The nine group winners qualify automatically. The four runners-up with the best record against the teams that finish first, third, fourth and fifth in their sections advance to the play-offs.
"We are still in with a chance of finishing second. Slovenia are a very good side and have had some good results themselves and it is a difficult test but we are going into the game looking to get three points out of it," said King.
"This group was never going to be easy with the quality of teams in it. Slovenia are a very talented side without having the international reputation of a side like Italy but they do cause teams problems.
"It is a game that both sides will feel that they have a chance of winning."
Chesterfields former U19 international midfielder Connor Dimaio has joined the squad Brighton defender Glen Rea was forced out through suspension while Shamrock Rovers midfielder Brandon Miele was unable to travel and has been replaced by Bray Wanderers winger Dylan Connolly. Josh Cullen, Alan Browne and Tommie Hoban had all previously been ruled out through injury.
"There has been a couple of enforced changes so there is opportunities there for Dylan Connolly, who has come back in and we know well, and Connor Dimaio who was born in 1996 so he has three more years at this age group. We have four players who are in the group now with three years at this level ahead of them," said King.
The Irish boss was pleased to see the recent progress to senior international level of some of his former U21 squad members Shane Duffy and Eunan O Kane but insists that he wants to balance the developmental aspect of U21 level with a desire to record victories and ultimately qualify for finals tournaments.
"We have had a good success rate of players going on to the senior squad and we would like to continue that. Development and performance are key to every player and progressing them on is a huge issue that we focus on with every player," he said.
"However, I have never gone into a game just saying we are here to develop players, we also want to develop a winning mentality and you do that by winning. The competitive games are a great assessment of how players are progressing so that is important for their development too. It is also important for the country that we do win games and keep seedings up and win whenever we possibly can.
"There are players who have come through the process. How much influence you have on that I cannot say. Sometimes you may convince them to come on board for Ireland, sometimes they may have come through on their own anyway. It is hard to say so I am not staking any claims on anybody. We will keep on doing what we do, keep on looking for players and look to develop the players that we have.
"All of that is while we try to win games and we were in a very difficult game the other day against Italy. We played reasonably well and created some chances but we were not clinical enough and the Italians were very good in that aspect, albeit we assisted them with the concession of some of their scores and that can be the case with any team and particularly at this age group."
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 SQUAD:
Ian Lawlor (Manchester City – on-loan to Bury)
Danny Rogers (Aberdeen – on-loan to Falkirk)
Brian Lenihan (Hull City)
Jack Connors (Dagenham - on-loan to Borehamwood)
Niall Keown (Reading)
Sean Hoare (St Patricks Athletic)
Kevin O Connor (Cork City)
Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers)
Harry Charsley (Everton)
Jack Byrne (Manchester City – on-loan to Cambuur)
Callum O Dowda (Oxford United)
Conor Wilkinson (Bolton Wanderers – on-loan to Portsmouth)
Josh Barrett (Reading)
Shane Griffin (Reading)
Sean Maguire (Cork City)
Sean Long (Reading - on-loan to Braintree Town)
Dylan Connolly (Bray Wanderers)
Connor Dimaio (Chesterfield)
FIXTURE
Monday, March 27
UEFA U21 Championships Group 2
Slovenia v Republic of Ireland, ŠRC Bonifika, Koper (SVN) (5.00pm Irish)
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