JIMMY QUINN PREVIEWS NORTHERN IRELAND'S EURO 2016 CAMPAIGN

FOR Northern Ireland, just to qualify has been a magnificent effort.

Michael O’Neill has done a fantastic job in moulding the team and I think they are on a 12-game unbeaten run, so it makes it even more exciting and everyone is looking forward to it.

When Michael first took over, it was hard to get a win to start with but then all of a sudden, he got into his coaching methods and the players have slowly and surely bought into that.

I have played with Michael and he is a really great fella, a nice guy, and he certainly knows his business.

Qualifying would have been good enough but to win the group, and to win it comfortably, was magnificent. They have just got a confidence about the team now and they believe they can get a result against anybody.

The tournament will be very interesting. There are a couple of hard teams in the group, so we will have to wait and see. Obviously, the game against Germany will be huge but Slovakia beat them the other week so they are not unbeatable.

In past tournaments, there have always been favourite teams and teams who have world class players but I don’t think the teams are as strong this time, so there could be one or two of the lesser profile sides that do well.

When we were in Mexico in 1986, we never got through group stage. We lost to Spain, lost to Brazil and drew against Algeria, so for them to qualify for the next stage would be absolutely magnificent and, without putting too much pressure on them, that’s probably what Michael is looking to do.

It’s the same for any of the home countries, that first game is vital. You need to get a result out of it as if you end up with a defeat, it really is hard work to take the team forward.

It is essential that they at least get a point out of the Poland game on Saturday but I am quite sure that Michael will go there trying to keep it tight at the back and hopefully nick something on the counter-attack or maybe from a set-piece.

Kyle Lafferty has taken a lot of the plaudits for the team and he has been a phenomenon because he hasn’t actually played that much club football but every time he has put on that green shirt, he has just come into his own and he has been a magnificent player for them.

They have got some really good players; Steven Davis in midfield, Gareth McAuley at the back, and I personally like Oliver Norwood.

When I played, there were people like Sammy McIlroy and David McCreery – all really good footballers that played at the top level – and I think they have got one or two of them in the squad at the moment; players that can do a bit extra.