‘It’s an opportunity to write our names in history’

Michael O’Neill says qualification for the World Cup would be “as good as anything that any Northern Ireland team has done”.

Northern Ireland travel to Italy in a play-off semi-final on 26 March and know they are big underdogs against Genaro Gattuso’s side.

If they can stun the four-time World Cup winners, who have failed to qualify for the last two editions of the tournament, then a trip to Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina awaits in the play-off final.

The overall prize is a place in Group B at the World Cup, alongside co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.

It would be a monumental effort for Northern Ireland to reach a first World Cup in 40 years, and that is something O’Neill is well aware of.

“If this team can achieve this, it would be as good as anything that any Northern Ireland team has done, to go through two away games and get to a World Cup,” he told BBC Sport NI.

“It’s a huge challenge, but we have the opportunity to write our names into the history of football here in Northern Ireland.

O’Neill already knew he would be without Liverpool defender Conor Bradley after he injured his knee in the Premier League against Arsenal in January.

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard is also a doubt for the game after he sustained a hamstring injury in the defeat by Brighton, but has been included in O’Neill’s 28-man squad.

When asked what challenges the hosts will pose in Bergamo, O’Neill said; “Well, they’re Italy, aren’t they?”

“It’s going to be a very, very tough game. There’s no doubt about that,” he added in his press conference.

“We’re going to have to step up. If you look at our squad, there’s 13 players in the Championship, there’s four at Premier League clubs and the rest are League One or playing their football elsewhere.

“It is a big step up for us, but it’s a step up we’ve made in the past.

It has been four weeks since O’Neill announced that he would combine his role with Northern Ireland with the task of trying to help Blackburn Rovers avoid relegation.

O’Neill was adamant he could juggle both jobs, saying that being in a club environment day-to-day would help keep his coaching sharp and that he had already done the brunt of his preparations for Italy before undertaking the role at Ewood Park.

Those against the move have cited it as a distraction ahead of Northern Ireland’s biggest match in recent years.

O’Neill had said it “wasn’t about leaving Northern Ireland” and, speaking at his squad announcement on Monday, he reiterated he has another two years on his contract with the Irish FA.

“For me not to be Northern Ireland [manager for September’s Nations League games], there would have to be an agreement between Blackburn and the IFA.

O’Neill has three wins and a draw in seven matches as Rovers manager and they sit three points outside of the Championship relegation zone with eight games remaining.

Just four points separate Rovers in 19th and Leicester City in 23rd. Tight is an understatement as five teams look to avoid the two remaining relegation spots.

“My objective is to go in and try and take Blackburn to a safer position in the Championship,” he told BBC Sport.

“We’ve managed to do that so far, but it’s very, very tight at that end.”

When asked how preparations would work if Northern Ireland qualified for the World Cup and his final game with Blackburn Rovers was on 2 May, O’Neill said his focus was on the immediate future.

He added that he can “assure” Northern Ireland fans that “preparations will be as good as they have always been” for the play-offs.

“If we can get through the two games and we’re going to the World Cup then, trust me, we will be ready to go to the World Cup,” he said.

“Let’s deal with what’s at hand, which is definitely important.