Showdown with Denmark’s Christian Eriksen one I relish, says NI’s Ali McCann
Northern Ireland’s Ali McCann would relish the opportunity to take on Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen in a midfield battle in Copenhagen on Friday night.
The 23-year-old Preston ace is a long-time admirer of the Denmark great but feels being aggressive and denying Eriksen time to dictate could be key to the visitors leaving the Parken Stadium with something to show for their efforts.
The Danes are odds-on favourites to defeat Northern Ireland with the home fans expecting Eriksen to pull the strings especially with the experienced Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas and Corry Evans missing in the middle of the park for Michael O’Neill’s side.
Like that trio, McCann was absent due to injury for March’s double header against San Marino and Finland but is raring to go now and ready to face the ex-Tottenham star if given the chance.
“He’s quality. You’ve seen it in the Premier League and for Denmark for years,” says McCann.
“You want to play these players don’t you because that’s the type of game you play football for. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
On dealing with the threat from such an outstanding footballer, McCann states: “You just have to get close to him because if you give him time and space to pick passes then he’ll be able to cut you open. I’m sure we’ll need to be aggressive. He won’t like it if we get close to him and put a foot in, so that’ll be part of it.
“It’s not just him, they have a squad full of quality. We will go there with a game plan and if we get it right we can definitely come away with something.
“Out of possession will be massive for us.
“That’s what we’ve been doing the last week (in a training camp) and I assume we’ll do more of it this week, just to get it right because if you give these teams chances then you’ll definitely get picked off.
“If we’re all on it and stick to the game plan then I’m sure that will give us a good chance.”
Feeling strong after being out for 10 weeks at the tail end of the season, McCann appreciates that with Davis, Dallas and Evans injured others will have to take extra responsibility in the midfield area against the Danes and in next Monday’s home qualifier versus Kazakhstan.
“Obviously it is not great with all those names being injured but that happens in football sometimes and it gives an opportunity for other people to step up,” he says.
“If I do manage to play on Friday and Monday I’ll be giving it my all to get a result for the lads.”
With so many tried and tested players on the sidelines, manager O’Neill has named a youthful squad after having training camps to prepare for the double header.
McCann has been impressed with the new kids on the block.
“Some of us lads who have been in squads before were saying the quality of the young lads in the training camps was brilliant,” he said.
“The amount of good technical players we have coming through is class. It bodes well going forward.”
Having won all his 16 caps to date under Ian Baraclough, McCann is working with O’Neill for the first time and enjoying the experience.
“I’d only heard good things and you can see that on the training pitch so far. The coaching from all the staff has been great. It’s quite exciting,” said the former St Johnstone man.
“All of the sessions we’ve done have had a purpose and if we can get it right going into Friday, we give ourselves a big chance.”
McCann, who won the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup in 2021, doesn’t hide the fact that with Northern Ireland in a group containing Denmark, Slovenia, Finland, Kazakhstan and San Marino they have a shot at making it to the finals in Germany.
“It’s quite an open group as you have seen by the results so far.
“There’s every chance that most of the teams can qualify so it’s a case of attacking this week and trying to come away with as many points as we can.
“Kazakhstan beat Denmark, didn’t they, so you’ve just got to see what happens and not focus too much on other results. Our job is to look after ourselves and see where we lie after that. In terms of Friday, it’s a chance to go and put a big marker down.”
Asked how he felt watching March’s win over San Marino and loss to Finland rather than being involved, McCann said: “I’m more nervous watching than I am playing. It’s the same when I’m at my club and I’m out with an injury.
“You can’t affect the game so you’re sitting there like a fan, and it’s nerve-wracking. I’m probably more subdued and quiet if I’m watching games instead of playing.”
McCann was born in Scotland and could have been a hero for the Tartan Army rather than the Green and White one.
Despite the Scots doing better than Northern Ireland in recent times the midfielder has no regrets about choosing to play for the country where his father is from.
“I think I made the right decision. I love coming away here. Ever since I came into the place the whole set-up has been brilliant so I don’t regret it one bit to be honest with you,” he says.
“Playing for Northern Ireland has definitely helped me at club level in terms of coming into the international squad and training and all the games you play; it improves you as a player, playing against top quality players like in Denmark on Friday.
“It makes you better as a player and more rounded as a person, coming in and meeting new people.”
