It’s an age-old round in the quiz “Question of Sport”: what happens next? In sporting reality, it’s the focus; the next tackle, the next goal is crucial, looking forward to the next game and the next challenge.
Success-hungry managers like Alex Ferguson barely waited until the champagne bottles were dumped in the bin before he was plotting his next trophy. And one suspects, the astute Michael O’Neill is already thinking ahead.
The Green and White Army is still thrilled by the wonderful experiences of Euro 2016; it will live long in the memory of fans, players, management, indeed everyone. Savour the moment, enjoy the good times. Good times never seemed so good, so good.
But barely have the ticker-tape and balloons been cleared from the Titanic homecoming party, even as O’Neill and his boys enjoy their well-deserved holiday planning will begin to ensure that this is not a one-off.
The history books show that Northern Ireland have qualified for three World Cups, 1958, 1982 and 1986. And 2016 was our first ever Euro qualification. Not exactly regular, but NI has certainly punched above its weight. I’m not being negative; just making the point that qualification isn’t easy and we need to be realistic.
That said, we also need to be ambitious and the astounding progress under O’Neill gives genuine hope that the atmosphere of the new Windsor Park will see an exciting challenge to get to the World Cup in Russia in two years time.
That qualification groups starts in September, and Germany, Czech Republic, Norway, Azerbijan and San Marino await. You would expect the Germans to win the group and qualify automatically, with the Czechs and Norway the main challenge for runner-up spot which means a play-off place.
It remains to be seen what part the three Fermanagh men will play. Keeper Michael McGovern is a shoe-in.
What a tournament he had, fully justifying the O’Neill decision to make him number one. His performance against Germany left even the legendary Pat Jennings drooling. Big Pat telephoned Michael to tell him “I’d have been proud of any one of those saves.”
Aside from being an individual performance that will be talked about for years to come, it will surely prove a seminal moment in the affable Michael’s career. With his contract now up at Hamilton Accies, the rumour mill is already linking the former Enniskillen Town man with Leeds, Blackburn and Premier League outfit Southampton.
Fellow Fermanagh keeper Roy Carroll faces a different challenge. He has served Northern Ireland well and after a wonderful career across Europe, he’s returning to the Irish League to play for Linfield. We shouldn’t run away with the idea, though, that his involvement with the international squad is at an end. You would imagine that the manager will still want him around with all his experience, and Roy will want to move into coaching at some point.
The situation of the third member of the Fermanagh three, Kyle Lafferty, is interesting. We should never forget his goalscoring exploits in the qualification group which guaranteed Northern Ireland’s place in France in the first place.
For a time, it looked as if Kyle was virtually irreplaceable. But with additions to the squad, we had the unusual situation of another striker being picked ahead of him, Conor Washington.
Will O’Neill pair them up together more regularly? Kyle needs club football. What happens at Norwich remains to be seen, but with his power, pace and strength allied to his goal knack, there should be a role for him at some club, and that will only be to the benefit of the international side.
For the first time in years, NI have options up front; in addition to Lafferty and Washington, there’s Grigg, Magennis, Ward and even Liam Boyce was unlucky to be left out.
Overall, there is much promise in the senior set-up in Northern Ireland. There are concerns, understandly, that English clubs are eyeing up Michael O’Neill. The GAWA and the IFA will be hoping that doesn’t happen, certainly not yet; but if it does, O’Neill will leave behind a great legacy.
Defenders Gareth McAuley and Aaron Hughes have reached veteran stage. But McAuley still looks fresh and has been given an extended contract at West Brom and who would have thought that Hughes would start three games in France. The experience of both will be vital in the short term, with Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart still there too.
Underneath the senior set-up, much work is going on in Northern Ireland football, right down to 10 and 11-year-olds in Club NI; so the hope is that the numbers on the conveyor belt will increase.
Northern Ireland fans face an exciting time. Many new younger fans have been caught up in the euphoria of the Euros, so expect to see a full house at the increased-capacity Windsor Park in the autumn when the Germans come to town.
Success on the pitch is never guaranteed, but while we have to be realistic the new wave of fans (and the old) can still dare to dream.
There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic.