Experience has taught Nathan Collins to not dwell on defeat

"If we can all give each other that bit of fire we have inside us, it creates a team fire, you could say," said Nathan Collins. "e need that against Armenia."

“I hate losing - I really hate it," said Ireland captain Nathan Collins. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Nathan Collins admits he hates losing as Ireland must do what they haven't since 2017 – win a home World Cup qualifier.

The wretched record of six winless qualifiers stems from the 5-1 playoff hammering by Denmark, through four games of Stephen Kenny’s reign, and last month’s 2-2 draw against Hungary.

Another draw will all but end Ireland’s hopes of reaching North America next year, with next month’s final pair of qualifiers assuming dead rubber status.

Failing to beat the team ranked 105 in the world would likely also hasten the departure of Heimir Hallgrímsson.

That grim scenario has been parked while Ireland talk up bringing the positives from Saturday’s stoppage-time loss to Portugal in the second part of the double-header.

Armenia were worthy 2-1 victors in Yerevan last month and fancy accelerating their own qualification ambitions, ahead of Hungary and Ireland, by completing the double. They’ve achieved home and away qualifying wins just once in their history, against Andorra 20 years ago.

“I hate losing - I really hate it,” stressed Ireland captain Collins, whose highlights in an Ireland jersey since his debut four years ago have been sparse.

“I've lost a lot in my career from playing for teams not near the top of the league.

“You lose games but have to pick yourself back up to get on the horse because there’s so many matches.

“You give yourself 24 hours from a defeat, look back at the game and watch your clips.” Collins says the influence of Corkman Caoimhín Kelleher, at international level and more recently around Brentford, has strengthened his mindset.

“I wouldn’t be able to keep going without people around me, family, friends and teammates,” Collins (24) confessed.

“We're all going in the same direction here with Ireland and luckily enough in this squad, we have that.

“There’s good people here. Caoimhín is my teammate and he has that. He always wants to win. He's coming from a winning team from Liverpool.

“He has the habit of winning and that's something good.

“Other lads I'm very close with here, they all want to win. If we can all give each other that bit of fire we have inside us, it creates a team fire, you could say. We need that against Armenia.” 

 Another player spearheading the must-win dynamic is Séamus Coleman. He returned to the team on his 37th birthday on Saturday and is set to retain his place, along with another newcomer Festy Ebosele. 

Will Smallbone is battling to replace suspended midfielder Josh Cullen but, given the flagged reversion to the back-four from the unique gameplan executed against the Portuguese, Collins may be shifted into the engine-room. The imperative for goals should see Troy Parrott feature from the start, in support of Evan Ferguson.