Heimir Hallgrímsson: 'I'd say it's the worst performance since I came in, tactically'
Ireland's Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Whisper it if it sounds incredulous but Ireland’s captain believes they can recover from losing to one of Europe’s lowest-ranked teams to beating the fourth highest.
Lisbon on October 11 will be an emotional occasion for the Portuguese, the first home game since Diogo Jota’s passing and the Glória Funicular tragedy which claimed 16 lives.
Ireland’s laser-focus at the Estádio José Alvalade is regaining dignity as well as World Cup prospects.
One point from six leaves Ireland playing catch-up from the foot of the table. They’ll have reached the midway point after jostling with Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, ranked sixth in the world and fourth in Europe.
“If we win in Portugal, does everything change again?,” pondered Nathan Collins in the bowels of the Republican Stadium after their abject performance.
“That's what we must do. It has to be the mentality, the only thing we can do now.
“People are vulnerable. It's a dream crashed for a lot of people.
“I don't want to think it's a dream over right now. Emotions are high and everything's hurting.
“Of course, we needed to beat Armenia away but it all changes with three points for Portugal.”
When it was asked of the centre-back to produce evidence of confidence from this two-game window, three halves of which they were dominated, he drew on previous results.
Ronaldo’s late brace in 2021 robbed Ireland of a famous victory in Faro before the teams ended the return World Cup qualifier in stalemate.
“Sometimes we are better against a bigger team,” argued the Brentford captain.
“We've caused Portugal a lot of frustration previously in different campaigns. I don't see why we can't. There is a chance there for us and that's all I’m clinging onto the at the moment.
“That belief has to come from within the team. I think we have to know that we can hurt teams like that.”
Collins disputed the penalty decision he was involved in for the opening goal on the stroke of half-time but had no complaints about Armenia being worthy winners.
Grounds for optimism before a ball was kicked in the campaign last Saturday stemmed from the accumulation of caps by players and the abundance of club captains.
Collins is one of those but the leadership deficit was as damning as the substandard fare on the pitch.
“I just thought they were better than us on the day and as a team that shouldn't be happening for us,” he reasoned.
“We're too good for that. Anything can happen in football but it's the way we've lost that’s the frustrating part.
“I can't put my finger on what happened, why they carved us open, cut through us so easily because that’s something we've been working on so much.
“We looked very good in that mid-block, frustrating a lot of teams, but this just wasn’t good enough.”
Heimir Hallgrímsson was prepared to ship the flak for a disastrous display that wasn’t improved by his substitutions, including a double change at the break.
Silence filled the dressing-room but the questions about the manager’s future were heard loud and clear in the conference room above. Being the pragmatist that he is, the Icelander is aware continuity in the job is linked to the outcome of this campaign.
“I’m not concerned about me,” he said.
“When you have a performance like this, the head coach’s job is under question, that’s just the name of the game.
“We definitely need a miracle to qualify from this now. I’m always thinking about my position - there's nothing new in that.
He noted this was the low point of his 12-match reign, trumping even the 5-0 drubbing by England at Wembley last novembre.
He said: “I would say it's the worst performance since I came in, tactically. We were losing a lot of individual duels both defensively and in attack. When you have an off day and Armenia are that good, it can happen in this way.
“We need to look inside to see what we could have done better. The staff and the players will do that themselves. We will learn something.
“There are probably a lot of reasons – but not excuses.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
