Northern Ireland v Ukraine: Euro 2022 play-off is 'David against Goliath' - NI boss Shiels

Watch: Every goal from Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 qualifying campaign

By Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI

Northern Ireland will embrace their underdog status in a "David against Goliath" Euro 2022 play-off against Ukraine, says manager Kenny Shiels.

NI travel to Ukraine on Friday before the return leg in Belfast on 13 April.

Shiels' side have only played one match between the final qualifier in December and Friday's first leg, and several key players are missing through injury.

"It would be a miracle if you look at all the things that have happened," said Shiels.

Shiels has been vocal about the lack of matches in the build-up to the play-off and said he cried when Abbie Magee and Lauren Wade were ruled out of the matches through injury last week.

Northern Ireland were set to face the Republic of Ireland on top of their sole friendly against England, a 6-0 defeat in February, however two proposed matches were called off.

Local restrictions surrounding 'elite sport' meant it was not possible for Shiels to arrange friendlies with under-16s and under-17s boys teams, as he has done in the past, which ultimately meant 14 of NI's 23-player squad have only played a maximum of one game since December's qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

"One of the most-significant assets as a sports team is the preparation and that has been taken away from us," said Shiels.

"It's damaged us, and if we haven't got preparation then we will be weaker than we would have been. It's going to hurt and show more than anything but I feel like we are ready and as prepared as we can be.

"However, we can't go on and on about it. We have to talk about what the girls are doing, how they are achieving it and how we hope to get there and get the outcome that everybody wants."

We can't put the cart before the horse

Shiels says his history-making side - taking part in their first play-off - will stick to their expansive philosophy and try to win the first leg in Ukraine, before adding that "anything is possible".

However the 64-year-old stressed the importance of playing the game and not the occasion, so Northern Ireland don't put "the cart before the horse".

"We have to look at how we can improve the performances which will then enhance the outcomes. If the players can meet the requirements of what we want then it increases the chances of successful outcomes.

"There are different ambitions in life, and personally speaking my ambition is to help people get better.

"There are so many people who see results as the be-all and end-all, and I'm not being critical of that, but my philosophy, and hopefully that has rubbed off on the players, is to get better."

Press Eye

Northern Ireland are training with yellow bibs and blue numbers to simulate Ukraine's home kit.

However Shiels says that if Northern Ireland could make more history by reaching their first finals in England then it would be "pretty close to utopia".

"We are getting ready for one of the most important games in the history of Northern Ireland. The players have pride and determination to do well," he added.

"If we were to get through it would be an unbelievable achievement. That is down to the girls and their commitment levels and their attitude.

"The enormity of what they have done is well publicised. They want to go the extra bit to reach the finals themselves. If we can achieve this step then the world is our oyster."

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