"Our fans will help get us over the line" Davis on GAWA special role
Captain says supporters give team a real lift
Last updated 9th Nov 2017
With just hours until Northern Ireland’s big World Cup play-off with Switzerland, captain Steven Davis says the famous Green and White Army will play a crucial role.
Davis believes the fans can get the side over the line yet again.
“It gives the players obviously on our team a real lift to see them when we go out for the warm-up and the place is packed already and to hear them in full voice,” he said.
“It makes it as hostile as possible for the Swiss so we need to take advantage of every little percentage that we can and obviously the fans play a huge part in that and I am sure they’ll create an atmosphere like no other before.”
Davis (32) will also reach a remarkable milestone at the National Stadium at Windsor Park tomorrow night when he earns his 100th cap – to join an elite club.
But the self-effacing Southampton skipper says he’ll be focusing purely on the game.
“It’s kind of crept on me that number – probably has been a goal of mine to get to that figure over the last few years,” he said.
“It’s sort of been at the back of my mind.
“Once again going into this game I don’t want anything to distract my focus away from what we want to achieve.
“Obviously there is so much riding on it over the two legs.
“Hopefully it is something I can look back on and reflect on after the two games and say that was a really special night to achieve that landmark.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Ward has cranked up the pressure on Switzerland by telling them Northern Ireland will thrive as the underdogs in their World Cup play-off.
Nottingham Forest forward Ward, back in Michael O'Neill's fold for the first time since March having overcome a calf problem, had no qualms with that and has told Switzerland they have to handle the expectation.
Vladimir Petkovic's team arrived in Belfast yesterday ahead of Thursday's first leg, and Ward said: “They've got to take their chances. Everyone is expecting them to win in the football world.
“They're obviously the seeded team, so the pressure's more on them than us.
“We're always great as the underdogs, so I think it was a bit of a bonus us not being seeded.
“If you're seeded, you get a little more pressure on yourself so we'll go into this game as underdogs again. Hopefully we can be worthy winners.
“We'd love something heading over there. I think we're strong at home and you've seen that over the last few years.
“If we play the way we can play, I don't see why we can't take a lead out there or at least a positive result.''
Should O'Neill's team find a way past the Swiss, they would end a 32-year exile from the World Cup finals and become the first Northern Irish side in history to make back-to-back major tournaments.
With Wales and Scotland already out of the running, and the Republic of Ireland involved in their own play-off, Ward feels the Northern Irish are still not getting the recognition they warrant.
“I think people see it as it's Northern Ireland and they've not done well for a long time, but on the other side they will go and buy players from the Republic squad,'' he added.
Premier League clubs are happy to do that. We're just as good as them, but it's obviously someone taking a risk or a chance on us and letting us prove we're worth playing at the next level.''