SPAIN, Germany, France, England, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, Croatia …… and Ireland.
Those are the nine countries enjoying the view from the top of their World Cup qualifying groups.
Ireland?
If there is a surprise at seeing that name in the company of Europe’s elite then that’s understandable. After all, only once before in the FAI’s history has the men’s senior team finished first in qualifying.
Yet there they are, two points ahead of Serbia and four clear of a Welsh side who caused their own sporting upset in 2016 defeating Slovakia, Russia, Northern Ireland and Belgium to reach the European championship semi-finals.
Along the way, respect – as well as football matches – were won, so much so that when he sat down to cast his vote for last year’s Ballon d’Or and FIFA Coach of the Year awards, Martin O’Neill voted for Gareth Bale and Chris Coleman.
But the Ireland boss’ generosity ended as soon as the clock struck midnight to signal the end of 2016 and start of 2017, for this is the year O’Neill plans to make history – by guiding Ireland to back-to-back major tournaments, something only one previous Republic manager – Jack Charlton – ever achieved.
If he is to do so, then the avoidance of a defeat this Friday at the Aviva Stadium is essential, not just because a draw would maintain that four-point gap between Ireland and Wales, but also because it would continue the momentum this team has been gradually building since September 2015.
While the overall record in that timeframe – eight wins, three draws and three defeats from 14 competitive games – is impressive rather than spectacular, in the context of where the team had previously been, it has signalled a dramatic turnaround.
For prior to the 1-0 victory over Germany in October 2015, 14 years had passed since Ireland’s previous competitive win over a top seeded nation.
Since then they’ve added Bosnian and Italian scalps to their CV, while November’s win in Vienna was the first time in 19 years that a competitive away win was recorded against a No1 or 2 ranked seed.
“Momentum was on our side then,” O’Neill said last week. “And then a four-month break interrupted it. That’s life. That’s the nature of international football.”
Nonetheless, they know what’s at stake this Friday for even though no medals or trophies will be handed out at the Aviva, there is a major prize at stake, namely that if Ireland win, then a play-off spot is as good as guaranteed.
Not that it’ll come easily, as Bale – twice a Champions League winner since he swapped life in London for Madrid – is a hard man to stop, the evidence of which was clear in the Euro 2016 qualifiers, when he scored seven of their 11 goals.
“We have no plans to man mark Bale,” O’Neill said, "because there is no point in doing something like that, as great players can escape the attentions of one defender. Too easily, you end up becoming totally obsessed with one player which then creates a different set of problems.
“The reality is when you are dealing with someone like Gareth Bale that you can have all these great plans in your head but great players extricate themselves from these situations.
World-class Bale is a hard man to stop. Picture: Photo: Stu Forster/Getty“Think back to our game against Sweden at the Euros. They had a superstar – Zlatan Ibrahimovic – but we dealt with him pretty well that afternoon in Paris.
"No one in particular had the specific task of looking after Zlatan – the role was shared around - and well done to our defenders for doing such a good job.
“If I was marking Gareth Bale this Friday, I would have a little look at DVDs of his performances to see if you could pick up any tips, things like the direction he turns, that sort of stuff.
“He’s got really good pace, has turned a couple of players in La Liga games recently where you thought it was impossible for him to do so. Then in three strides, he got away from them. He’s a top quality player and that was why I voted for him to win world player of the year.
“What Chris Coleman, Gareth and Wales achieved in the Euros was brilliant. But they have a number of class players – Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen – and if I was a defender coming up against those guys, I’d want to know as much as possible in advance of who I was marking. My preparation would be starting now.”
O’Neill’s prep work for this qualifier began when he named a 39-man provisional squad which he then trimmed to 23 last weekend.
Thereafter, the heat intensified in the build-up to Friday’s qualifier. “The game has taken on an enormous importance, really, because by the time the final whistle blows on Friday, we’ll be halfway through the campaign,” O’Neill said.
“We just want to keep things going, if we can, but it’ll be tough.
“We have got to come in with the same approach, as we have shown thus far in the campaign. Put it this way, we won’t be playing for a point. We’ve got to try and win.”
Can they do so?
With O’Neill in charge – John Hartson, who played under the Derryman at Celtic – believes it’s possible.
“The Ireland game will be hard for Wales,” Hartson said. “They fight for everything. We saw that against Italy in Lille. Under Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane, they will compete for every ball.
“Everyone knows the threat Wales will pose to Ireland. We are a solid group, our system does not change. We have got good players all playing at about the same age, 25, 26.
"This is a team that has not hit their peak yet and that is why Chris Coleman signed on for another two years. Chris could have arguably taken his pick from a number of jobs – there would have been loads of offers – but he signed a contract to hopefully take them through to the World Cup.
“But I don’t think too much has changed regarding us,” Hartson added. “The likes of Germany, Spain, Italy, are members of Europe’s elite and always will be.
"We are not going to say we will win the World Cup. We have to qualify first. That said, I do think this team will get better.”
After their slow start - one win and three draws - the need to improve is pressing. Lose tonight, and it's inconceivable that the Welsh will claw their way back into contention.
The signs are that it is already too late.
