'This was more a show than a draw' but Heimir Hallgrímsson happy with potential World Cup fixtures

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. Pic: ©INPHO/Priscila Bütler.

As soon as the World Cup draw concluded, Heimir Hallgrímsson was a happy man. For multiple reasons.

Over two hours after it started, after appearances from Kevin Hart, Heidi Klum, Tom Brady, and Robbie Williams amongst others, after Donald Trump received the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize and after Rio Ferdinand conducted the formalities, it finally ended.

“This was more a show than a draw. I would fancy football first than show first,” said Hallgrímsson when speaking to the press from Washington over Zoom.

“Quite a lot to get my head around. I was just enjoying the music. I wasn't thinking much about what it was.

“It was a nice show. Probably some musicians that you would go and see a concert at. I don't need to do that from now on.

“Like I said, it was maybe show first and football second. That's not how it should be in a World Cup draw.”

But while he was happy the show was over, he was also pleased with the outcome for his team.

The Boys in Green were drawn in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and Korea Republic with the fixtures against the Mexicans and Koreans likely to be played in Mexico, with confirmation set to come on Saturday.

But first Ireland must navigate the playoffs in March where they must beat Czechia in Prague before then defeating the winners of the other semi-final between North Macedonia and Denmark in Dublin if they are to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

“It’s exciting. We are not there yet, but it’s exciting to be a part of it,” added the Icelander.

“We were hoping to be in the US. The Irish diaspora is in the US. I played on a couple of occasions in Mexico, in big stadiums, so hopefully we will, if we get there, have a lot of Irish fans coming.

“I think it’s a quite equal group in a way. It's not like a Brazil or an Argentina that normally are favourites in the group.

“It was good to be in a host nation group, whether it was Canada, US or Mexico.

“I know Mexico playing in Mexico will always be a challenging match. But then again, very demanding fans in Mexico. Sometimes they turn on their team if it's not going well.

“But anyway, it's a beatable group if we think [of] ourselves in it. It's a group we would fancy qualifying from.

“But we know we need to focus on what's ahead and keep our eye and focus on the next opponent, which is Czech Republic.

“Normally, I am confident. I'm a positive realist, if I would say. I've said from the beginning that we are going to qualify.

“I'm not going to change that, but obviously it's a little disrespectful to all the other opponents we play against until then to say when.

“But that's how we have worked from day one and that's how we will keep on working. We are not going to change that.

“We are going to prepare to be here the best way we can. We are investing in that. That's why we are here. That's why we are taking all the workshops and all the tickets and logistics around the World Cup.

“It's going to be a big one. So, we better be ready.” Potentially facing Mexico in a World Cup brings back memories of Ireland’s infamous meeting with the Mexicans in Flordia in 1994 when the Irish side, in particular Steve Staunton, struggled with the heat while John Aldridge failed to prevent his temper from boiling over during their 2-1 loss.

“First things first, we're not there,” reminded Hallgrímsson.

“Now we at least know we are in Mexico and there's going to be heat there in June for sure. Not air-conditioned stadiums in Mexico.

“So, that would be one possible [problem] that we need to solve.

“But we haven't started thinking about that yet. Like I said, let's have it as a secondary start with focusing on Czech Republic and hopefully a game after that. That would be a big one.

“But like I said, it's a very short turnaround from the games in March and then final preparation for the World Cup.

“It's a lot of things that need to happen and we need to start thinking about things. For example, like this one now, we play in Mexico.”