Baird sees 'fighting spirit' as key to Irish success

Chris Baird maintains that patriotism not pounds is driving Northern Ireland on. The players and staff stand to share a £1m bonus from the Irish Football Association should the province qualify for the finals of a European Championship for the first time.

That prize could move tantalisingly closer in the next week should positive results be achieved against Latvia today and Iceland on Wednesday. But Baird, the stand-in captain, insists: "We are not concerned about the bonus. It is there for us but we have to get good results first. We have to concentrate on the games that lie ahead. We want to do it for ourselves and our country. There is a fighting spirit and togetherness among the boys that is second to none."

Baird will wear the armband for the second successive qualifier as his Fulham team-mate Aaron Hughes remains injured and misses both back-to-back matches. "I am very honoured," said the former Southampton full-back. "Aaron and I have had a good laugh about it. He knows I would love to be captain for good. I will just settle for having the job at the moment."

Northern Ireland have built up a head of steam in Group F since losing the opening Euro 2008 qualifier to Iceland. Since then they have won five of their six matches – beating Spain and Sweden in the process – and amassed 16 points in the process.

Nigel Worthington's side go into the match in Riga in second place behind Sweden and Latvia are struggling in the group.

The Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is fit again but he may have to settle for a place on the bench with Worthington set to field an unchanged line-up from the side that defeated Liechtenstein.

Group F

Today Iceland v Spain, Latvia v N Ireland, Sweden v Denmark; 12 Sept Denmark v Lichtenstein, Iceland v N Ireland, Spain v Latvia; 13 Oct Denmark v Spain, Iceland v Latvia, Lichtenstein v Sweden; 17 Oct Denmark v Latvia, Lichtenstein v Iceland, Sweden v N Ireland; 17 Nov Latvia v Lichtenstein, N Ireland v Denmark, Spain v Sweden; 21 Nov Denmark v Iceland, Spain v N Ireland, Sweden v Latvia.