Mick McCarthy says Ireland must heed Scotland’s stark warning to ensure they are not blown off course in gusty Gibraltar.
The Scots were smashed 3-0 away to minnows Kazakhstan on Thursday in a timely reminder of what can go wrong when hotly fancied.
Like this evening's clash at Victoria Stadium, that game was also played on an artificial pitch - but Ireland will be battling the elements too.
Freak winds have smashed the country in the last 24-hours and a “significant weather warning” is in effect today.
In the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar and perched right beside the airport runway, the tiny 2,300-capacity ground is brutally exposed.
Asked about getting off to a winning start and the need to build momentum, McCarthy said: “We haven’t got any yet, have we?
“To gain any momentum, we’re going to have to start here but I really do think we should give them the respect they deserve.
“Gibraltar will be right bang at it. It’s cliched but it’s like the old FA Cup ties that we see in England all the time.
“We saw it with Scotland on Thursday. We're really aware of what can happen, but we’re going to play as well as we can.
"I know Alex McLeish and he'd have gone over there and done everything proper, but they got a bad result so it's a stark warning of what can happen.
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McCarthy continued: "You talk about the style of football but if we win, brilliant. If we play well and win, better still.
“We can only gain momentum if we start well and get a victory and only then will I concern myself with Georgia.”
While the high winds that battered Gibraltar last night are set to intensify, McCarthy insists this is no time for excuses.
He said: “You’re aware of where we play our football? We don’t play in ideal conditions all the time in terms of weather.
“That’s nothing that concerns me as we can’t do anything about it. It is what it is and we’ll get on with it.”
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