'Eventually the conversation goes back to France' - How EURO 2016 memories motivate Josh Magennis for Northern Ireland's World Cup dream
Put Josh Magennis in a room with any Northern Ireland team-mate who shared four games over 14 days of one summer nine years ago and “eventually the conversation goes back to what we did in France”.
Having given one generation of fans a ground-breaking experience as part of Northern Ireland’s EURO 2016 squad, Magennis wants to maximise his elder statesman status in the current panel next year on another global platform with another gift to the nation.
Reflecting on those experiences at Northern Ireland’s first European Championships in history, Magennis admits a deep desire for another insider’s view representing our wee country when it comes to the biggest stage of all in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Speaking before the World Cup play-off draw delivered a semi-final away to Italy next March as the first of two potential final steps to a first World Cup in 40 years for Northern Ireland, Magennis celebrated EURO 2016 as “dreamland” and highlighted his ambition to help this current group taste life in the showpiece spotlight.
"My boys are getting older...they’re 10 and 12 now,” said Magennis. “So they ask me questions about this player, have you played against this, have you played here?
"And you actually sit back and go ‘I’ve actually done quite a lot’...a sensational career, absolutely mad.
"I have this conversation with my pals from back home...if I didn't play professional football, I would have still been talking about going to watch Northern Ireland at a major tournament in EURO 2016 as a fan, still trying to go as many games as I possibly could.
"So to say that I was actually involved and played in that tournament and played in the qualifiers, it's absolutely dreamland.
"Me and Paddy (McNair) are the only ones left other than Michael O’Neill and the staff who have actually witnessed what it's like to play at a major tournament.
"We can't physically describe what it's like to the new boys coming through, what it meant.
"Northern Ireland took over everywhere we went, every fan zone, every stadium, every song...it was constantly green and white.
"There was no drama, no issues...everyone just wanted us to do so well.
"It brought the country together in such a way that you wish sport could...every Northern Ireland fan was pushing for us to do well.
"It was an experience that I love that I have never experienced before...a concoction that was made out of pure magic.
"To be able to be so close to being able to do that again is absolutely brilliant."
Magennis came off the substitutes’ bench in the closing game of the World Cup qualifying group stages in Belfast against Luxembourg.
The draw in Switzerland confirmed Northern Ireland must now overcome former World Cup winners Italy away on March 26 then, if successful in that against-the-odds mission, travel to the winners of Wales and Bosnia & Herzegovina for the final step on the road to joining past heroes of 1958, 1982 and 1986 in our history at the greatest tournament in the beautiful game’s arsenal.
Magennis wants to draw on those memories of 2016 as motivation towards helping Michael O’Neill’s modern panel live the dream.
"We (squad from EURO 2016) might not even speak to each other for two, three months but every time we see each other, eventually the conversation goes back to what we've done in France,” said Magennis. “What we managed to do, who played what game, do you remember this, do you remember that?
"And then I sort of found myself being in a role (now) in terms of lads asking me what it was like, how we got there, little things about travelling, family, tickets, stadium sell-out, what was it like to play at this stadium?
"So to be able to be in the same environment but maybe carry a different role would be absolutely fantastic...you see youngsters coming through, boys wanting to do well, you want everyone to take their opportunity.
“Probably just a full-circle moment (for me) because I remember when I came into the squad, sort of leaning on people and asking what it was like before...fixed on the likes of Steven Davis, Jonny Evans, Gareth McAuley.
"I just wanted to learn as much as possible in terms of what was it like to be able to stay and play at this level.
"So to be able to do that with those boys and play at a tournament, see what it actually does to a group...”
Although EURO 2016 stands as a major driving force, Magennis needs only think back a number of weeks for cause for cheer within the current group ahead of that showdown in Italy.
"Germany came in after the home game (last month) thinking we could and maybe should have got something from that game,” said the 35-year-old striker. “And I remember the years (against Germany) we got beat 6-1, 3-1, losing at the Euros.
"I remember playing against these top-tier teams and you're thinking ‘we've just got to give it a right go to even stay in the game’.
"But to come away from games against that calibre of team thinking we could and maybe should have won is testament to where we are as a squad.
"To get to another major tournament would be the cherry on the cake."