Michael O'Neill hopes to get better of frustrated Swiss
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill is hoping that Switzerland's qualification campaign will send him into the World Cup playoff in a frustrated mood.
They recorded an impressive 27 points in Group B as they won 9 of their 10 games, only losing to eventual group winners Portugal, who took the automatic qualification spot.
"It's a difficult situation for Switzerland, as they basically led the group from start to finish, and then lost in Portugal, and then missed out," said O'Neill.
"It became a two-team group in the end, and we have to hope that they find it difficult, and we have to hope that they do feel slightly aggrieved at having to come to Belfast."
O'Neill named his squad for the 2 play-off fixtures, which included the return of Paddy McNair, Jamie Ward and Aaron Hughes, who had all been injured.
Northern Ireland host Switzerland in the first leg which will be played on Thursday the 9th of November at the National Football Stadium in Belfast.
"It's going to be a difficult game. They will be the favourites, but they're playing a smaller nation with a good track record. We have to put all those things in our favour, and use it to our favour, to make life as difficult as possible for them," said O'Neill.
The 2nd leg will be played in Basel on Sunday the 11th of November, with the manager keen to head to Switzerland still with a chance of securing a spot in Russia.
"That pressure, it's something we have to do. We have to test them mentally, particularly in the early part of the game.