The return of the feel-good factor over Ibrox is in full flow with fans comforted yesterday to read about comparisons between Steve Davis and Christian Ronaldo!
Apparently playing international football into your mid-thirties is enough of a nod to create a story with Davo set to pick up his 112th cap and get a runaround against Germany tonight at Windsor Park.
While Ronaldo’s career covers Manchester United, Sporting Lisbon, Real Madrid and Juventus the Irish midfielder can list both Ibrox clubs, Aston Villa , Fulham and Southampton on his CV.
It’s believed that Ronaldo has never gone eight years without picking up a winners medal and never crumbled into a series of out the park passes in the presence of Scott Brown.
Reporting on Michael O’Neill’s comments the Daily Record reports:
“He pestered me all week to get five minutes against Luxembourg and I eventually wilted under the pressure,” O’Neill joked. “Last night I was watching Cristiano Ronaldo play at 34 years of age for his country and what it means to him, and that’s why international football is so special.
“Steven deserves to be talked about in that breath because I believe he will go on and break Pat Jennings’ record. He’s still as effective at this level as he was when I took the job seven years ago.”
International managers like to talk up their players before matches but generally it is kept within reason. After taking full points from four matches against Belarus and Estonia O’Neil’s side now face Germany and Holland needing to split those two nations to qualify for next summer’s European Championships.