REPUBLIC OF IRELAND MANAGER VERA PAUW has claimed she isn't bothered by the suggestions that her Ireland side are underdogs ahead of the World Cup play-off with Scotland in Hampden Park tonight.
Ireland's players, according to some bookies are priced at 9/2, while others have them down as 7/2 for the biggest game of their careers.
Senec , Slovakia - 6 September 2022; Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw with her players . (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)If Ireland do win tonight and results, go their way this will mean a first major tournament for the Girls in Green.
The other two scenarios are no World Cup or a 10-team intercontinental play-off in February, which Ireland could play in depending on a few different outcomes this week.
Despite the bookies effectively labelling the Irish side as second best tonight, Pauw believes that Ireland will give it their best shot tonight in the Glasgow venue.
"We know where we stand, and we know that Scotland is favoured in the game. We know that. I’m not surprised," Pauw said to the media yesterday
“They went to the European Championships. They went to the World Cup.
“They are at home, and it is their second game at home in a week, they have the crowd behind them.
“So that sums it all up. It is what it is. We will be absolutely ready in our capacities tomorrow and we will see if it’s good enough.
“We know where we stand. We are realistic. We are very realistic.”
The Ireland boss also knows how hard her side have fought to get to this position and feels that experience will be vital once more for Ireland.
A reference was also made to the 1-1 draw with one of the best sides in the world in Sweden in Gothenburg
“You’ve asked before, was playing against Sweden in front of the crowd a problem, and I don’t think anyone had seen anything like that before,” she said, recalling the 1-1 draw in Gothenburg against the world number two ranked side, she added
Vera Pauw says she is happy for Ireland to be the underdogs in tonight’s World Cup play-off against Scotland #SCOIRL https://t.co/iTXozNb7jp
— Irish Mirror Sport (@MirrorSportIE) October 11, 2022
“It’s about knowing what you can and what you cannot do. And it is building that into teamwork and then just going for it.
“We keep it as simple as that.
“We know the nation is behind us and that everybody is proud of us.
“We know that we are here, now and that whatever we show tomorrow, I know that the nation will be proud of it.
“We will see at the end where we stand. We are realistic but we will give our all.”
Ireland play Scotland at 8pm tonight,
