Evan Ferguson vows to battle through negativity with Republic of Ireland

Evan Ferguson has vowed to battle his way through the negativity as he attempts to help create a brighter future for the Republic of Ireland.

The 20-year-old Brighton striker’s fourth senior international goal and his first since October last year handed Ireland a 1-0 Nations League win over Finland in Dublin on Thursday evening to send them into Sunday’s Wembley showdown with England in positive mood.

However, in his short time in the squad, he admits he has had to learn to cope with the criticism that life at that level can bring.

Ferguson said: “It’s hard to turn off all media, but I think anyone who is looking at Irish football knows that all talk is sort of negative about it.

“Even with the win tonight, I’d say there’ll be a lot of negative [opinions] about it. But you just have to try and block it out and try to do your best.

“That’s the way it has been, and especially since I’ve been in. For nearly two years now, it’s always been that way and it’s stayed that way, so we just need to try and turn it around.

“It’s obviously a lot more negative than positive, so I think we just sort of said we’ll stay away and come together as a team. Whatever anyone says, they don’t play football.”

Ferguson’s elevation to senior level came during the latter stages of Stephen Kenny’s reign, and the former head coach’s return of just six wins in 29 competitive fixtures perhaps explains some of the negativity to which Ferguson alludes.

He knows greater positivity will come with better results and home and away victories over the Finns in the last month will do Ireland little harm, although both current boss Heimir Hallgrimsson and his players were swift to acknowledge that they had ridden their luck on Thursday night.

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