Tommy Martin: Hallgrimsson double jobbing managing body and mind

The continuing absence of a sports psychologist has generated headlines in the build-up to Saturday’s World Cup qualifying opener against Hungary.

Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson during a Republic of Ireland training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

International weeks normally start with a bulletin about missing personnel, but in the case of the Republic of Ireland men’s team it was the continuing absence of a sports psychologist that generated headlines in the build-up to Saturday’s World Cup qualifying opener against Hungary.

It emerged that Heimir Hallgrimsson was unable to employ someone for the job on account of the FAI being skint, meaning the manager would have to skimp elsewhere if he wanted someone for the role.