Few know better than him how badly wrong it can go.
On Sunday night Jonathan Walters, predictably enough, picked up the FAI’s International Player of the Year following a 2015 that saw him score five goals in seven Euro 2016 qualifiers.
The Stoke attacker – who scored one and made one at the weekend – is one Euro 2012 veteran heading to France this summer.
A second half substitute in all three Euro 2012 matches, the 32 year old is determined to enjoy this summer’s tournament, where he is likely to be one of the first names on Martin O’Neill’s teamsheet, despite what he describes as a “slightly stop start season” for Stoke.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said of his award. “You can’t describe what it means to you, how good it feels but without all the people in the background you wouldn’t be here. I’m just happy to do my part. We have a big summer ahead of ourselves and we’re all looking forward to that.”
The former Ipswich striker scored some integral goals, including the brace in the play-off second leg against Bosnia that secured passage to France. He admits he is savouring his central role in the campaign, rather than thinking back to how badly wrong things went four years ago.
“It’s the [international campaign] I’ve played the biggest part in compared to other ones. Obviously I had a taste of the Euros four years ago and it was very disappointing how it ended but there are a lot of players still around from then and hopefully that experience will stand to us.”
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