Mick McCarthy brushed off Peter Schmeichel’s stinging criticism of Ireland and declared: “F the begrudgers'.
The former Denmark and Manchester United goalkeeper slammed the Boys in Green for being ‘so bad’ and banked on a Swiss win tonight.
Ireland will secure automatic Euro 2020 qualification with a win in Geneva and McCarthy said: “We’re in a good position.”
Of Schmeichel’s waspish critique, McCarthy said: “That’s very kind of him.
“There are so many people who have opinions of me, my team, my players, I'm not bothered. And I certainly don't respond to them.”
McCarthy reckons there is needless negativity surrounding the team since Saturday’s bore draw in Georgia.
He said: “I just keep getting messages from people saying ‘F the begrudgers’ and I keep thinking ‘what’s going on?’
“We’ll approach tonight’s game trying to win it, but it’s far from a free shot. Everybody wants to make it a cup final, a do or die, and I don’t think it is.
“I think it is for them. But just because we're 90 minutes away (from qualifying) doesn't mean to say it's going to happen.
“You can say it and make everyone feel good about it, but we have a hell of a task on tomorrow to make sure that can happen against the best team in the group.”
McCarthy continued: “They are likely to have more possession, yeah. They probably had more possession in Dublin.
“They are probably the best team in the group but it doesn’t guarantee they’ll win games. It doesn’t guarantee they’ll beat us.
“What I’d like to do and what happens is sometimes two different things. We’re disappointed with how we passed the ball in Georgia, but tonight is another game.”
McCarthy continued: “We’ll try to win and if we end up with a draw, I’ll take it and I’ll be happy with it.
“That would have been before the tournament and that would be now.”
Swiss boss Vladimir Petkovic was asked about Schmeiche's comments on Ireland and said: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
"I saw Ireland when they played in Denmark and they weren’t that bad at all. It’s down to how you find the team for your own opinion.
"We know how Ireland will come towards us, so we’ve got to respond with more power and give our best as we always do."
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