Heimir Hallgrimsson: 'I'm not going to hang or execute anyone for that performance'
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
After some spurned the opportunity in Luxembourg of being on Ireland’s ticket towards the Land of Opportunity, the manager deemed it a minor hiccup rather than reality check.
“I'm not going to hang or execute anyone for this performance,” stressed Heimir Hallgrimsson about a stalemate that eroded progress from wins over Bulgaria and drawing with a superior Senegal side last Friday.
“We’re not too shy to say it but if we are going to qualify for the World Cup, we must do better than that.” An evening that began sluggishly was almost rescued at the death when a thunderous drive by substitute Jack Taylor rattled the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.
Still, in the overall context of what the Icelander views as his imprint for a qualifying group containing Portugal, Armenia and a Hungarian side they welcome for the opener on September 6, this wasn’t the note to sign off the summer on.
“Let's say we wanted the same performance as against Senegal,” Hallgrimsson outlined.
“There was a lot of energy in that game — plenty of quick actions, forward thinking and counter pressing. It was totally missing here.
“Whatever it is, we need to analyse us. Did we prepare them correctly for this game? Do we need to change? That's a negative, or disappointing. That we didn't continue with the same momentum we got in the earlier games.”
Notwithstanding the mitigation of missing five regulars, the absence of building blocks in a first half he branded “boring” concerned the manager so soon to the competitive action.
“We talked at half-time that it wasn’t about tactics or formations,” he began.
“It was more about attitude. Are you willing to do the work that's necessary? The basics that are necessary in a football game? No matter who you play, no matter whether it's a competitive or a friendly game, you need to do the basics.
“You need to deliver all the work that's necessary. That was just missing; the basics.
“Credit to the players for changing in the second half. There was more momentum, power and energy yet we were not happy.
“It felt like steps had been taken. I think we took, maybe not a step backwards, but we didn't take the next step.
“It would have been nice to have a good performance. I don't mind if we would not have won but I would have liked a better performance.”
His captain Nathan Collins concurred, albeit adding the asterix about the rigours of a long season. He’d played every Premier League minute for Brentford but didn’t use it as an excuse.
“A lot of things weren't right,” he acknowledged.
“Beforehand, we said we needed to avoid that end-of-season friendly feel. We didn't want to be as passive, to get after them more but we weren't at that.
“I’m physically tired, but I’m more mentally tired. I doubt I’m the only one in that boat but I know this team has so much more to give.”
From passive to massive characterises the stakes looming at the end of a three-month international hiatus. Hungary will have two components of the defending Premier League champions Liverpool when Milos Kerkez’s €60m move from Bournemouth finalises this week.
His new clubmate Dominik Szoboszlai scored the Magyars’ winner in their friendly in Azerbaijan to halt a slump of five defeats in six games.
Hallgrimsson should have his full deck to pick from when that double-header, which concludes away to Armenia, comes around.
“These are clever boys so there’s no need to shout,” the manager said about channelling his disappointment.
“Whatever I would shout now would probably be gone by the next time we meet up.
“I would have been 100% confident two hours before full-time but this is also football.
“You can be a much better team and still lose a match.
“I’m not going to take too much from this because we have had a steady growth and there are so many factors that could have produced a little bit lower quality performance than we did.”
Within his broader scope, embracing the structural improvements over his 10 games at the helm since last September, he’s reason to be optimistic.
Ireland were out of the competitive running early in their last four campaigns, World Cup, Nations League and Euros under Stephen Kenny and the incumbent’s Nations League tilt. They can’t afford to be left chasing come September 10.
“People might say we can get a draw against Hungary and win in Armenia but probably it would be worse if it was the opposite,” he contended.
“Four points would be okay for a good start. Yet six is what we’ll aim for.”
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