camondunphy

WE are still in with a good shout of making it to next summer's World Cup finals in the US.

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Picture this. We need to go to Budapest for the final game of this group needing either a win or a draw to qualify for the playoffs.

Think that can't be done? After Saturday? You know it is possible, so long as three key things happen.

For starters, Heimir Hallgrimsson needs to look at Evan Ferguson the way the rest of the world does.

The kid has class. Despite enduring a nightmarish year, he has shown character and resilience to bounce back, continually believing in his capabilities, scoring important goals for his country.

The latest in his international career arrived on Saturday. Now think about that. He's 20-years-old and has already scored six times for Ireland. Robbie Keane's 68-goal record may be beyond him, indeed anyone, but Ferguson could easily break the 30-goal barrier by the time he retires and perhaps do even more than that.

But greatness will only happen if people recognize him for what he is, a player who requires the freedom to float, to move into the spaces where defenders don't like to travel to, and where midfielders are also uncomfortable retreating towards.

When selected as an out-and-out centre forward, Ferguson isn't nearly as effective as when he is given the No10 role. Think Thierry Henry and Denis Bergkamp. Ferguson is more suitable in the Bergkamp role than the Henry one.