No regrets for Hallgrimsson who refuses to admit defeat in World Cup qualifying bid

Hallgrimsson has declared that there is still everything to play for after naming a 24-man squad showing some changes for the upcoming games against Portugal away and the Armenians at home later in October.

Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson. Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

A bullish Heimir Hallgrimsson insists he has no regrets about taking on the Republic of Ireland job and is adamant that his team is still in with a shot of qualifying for next year’s World Cup after a “one-off” in Armenia.

The team’s disastrous performance and 2-1 loss against the lowly hosts in Yerevan last month punctured the positivity that had built up through the Icelandic coach’s initial time in charge and left qualifying hopes hanging by a thread.