Sheffield United's John Egan loving the pressures of big matches for club and country

One, he means it.

Two, this is why Sheffield United are having the season they are, despite all the handicaps in their way.

But whether you see a trip to Wembley as a prize, or simply a next step, there is no doubt Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final at home to Blackburn Rovers is a big game. Egan is having quite a few of them lately.

Wednesday's Championship trip to Sunderland was another.

After four defeats in six league games, the Blades needed to pounce on chasers Middlesbrough dropping two points at home to Stoke City and strengthen their hold on an automatic promotion place.

They did, winning 2-1, but the nerves were palpable as they tried to close out the points in the closing minutes, the subsequent celebrations in front of the away end telling.

Not that Egan only has to look to club football for big games.

All being well he will spend his international "break" playing two matches for Republic of Ireland, where he is as important and reliable a figure as for his club.

After hosting Latvia on Wednesday, their second European Championship qualifier is against France. That means the defender will have to try to subdue Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud, not to mention those who come off the bench. Good luck.

To those of us not blessed with either footballing ability or the mindset to make the most of it, these pressure occasions might be daunting. For 30-year-old Egan, they are just another reminder of how lucky he is to do what he does for a living.

Not that he and his team-mates will be turning up at Bramall Lane for a bit of fun and a kick-about. Hosting lower-ranked opposition, they have to be looking to win.

Just as the expanded qualification for the Champions League has perverted finishing fourth in the Premier League into more important than winning the FA Cup, so the disrespectful decision to host them at Wembley has turned reaching the semi-final into a prize. Not for Egan.

"The bigger carrot is getting to the semi rather than getting to Wembley," insists the centre-back. "We want to progress to the next round. With our Cup games we had a couple of close games against Wrexham and then a big one against Spurs.

"Sometimes you go on a cup run and get to a quarter and it opens up a bit. We've won three ties to get to this position.

"Since I came we've got to three quarters in the last four years so that's good consistency and attitude saying our focus is on the league.

"We're not respecting one competition over an other, no matter who we're playing, we just want to go out and win.

"It's a great group to be a part of and hopefully we can keep that going."

For all that he treats them the same, Egan says cup and league matches feel different.

"It's a really good competition is the FA Cup and I seem to have done well in it, it's always just a different feel to it," he argues. "You've got ourselves Blackburn, Burnley Grimsby in the last eight of the FA Cup, that's what it's about – throwing up ties like that which is good for the game.

"It's knockout. You know going out there you either win the game and you're through or you lose the game and you're out.

"It does have that all-or-nothing feeling.

"It's one we quite enjoy, everything on the line for 90 minutes and if it takes longer than 90 minutes, penalties etc... it's win or bust really. It's a good way to approach a game.

"When it's win or bust you've only got one option, to try and win, so it simplifies things.

"At 12 noon (on Sunday) the Lane will be rocking and at the business end of the season you want to be playing these kind of games. We've put ourselves in a good position but nothing's sorted yet."

Then, more of the same on Ireland duty and those famous foes to face.

"You want to test yourself against the best and that's why you want to be a footballer," is his simple take on the less-than-simple prospect.

Any job can become routine if you are not careful, and Egan is conscious of not letting that happen.

"It's hugely important you enjoy every day," he says. "You never know what's around the corner so you have enjoy every single day you come to training, come to play. We're blessed to be footballers in the first place so you can never take it for granted.

"You have to play every day and train every day to enjoy it all because it goes fast.

"At times with all the games you probably forget about it because you try and win the next game and even when you're trying to enjoy it, taking it all in, it still goes fast.

"You have to have perspective and I'm very grateful to be doing what I'm doing. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

"You don't want to be happy every time you lose a game and on the flipside you don't want to be sad every time you win a game. You have to enjoy the wins and learn from the losses and always try and put it right next game."

It is a mindset that will serve him and his team-mates well. Or rather, already is doing.