Nathan Collins: Ireland prepared to use 'dark arts' to silence Czechia crowd

The Ireland captain said his side can cope in Prague without key midfielder Josh Cullen

Nathan Collins believes that if his side can motivate Ireland's 1,000 supporters in the playoff against Czech, "there is a massive chance they can be louder than the home team". Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Ireland captain Nathan Collins admits his side are prepared to engage in the dark arts to quieten the dominant Czechia crowd in Thursday’s World Cup playoff semi-final.

Uefa’s minimum away ticket allocation was afforded by the Czechia FA, meaning just 1,024 fans will officially be among the 19,000 spectators at the Fortuna Arena in Prague.

Their main striker Patrik Schick echoed the declaration of war espoused by new manager Miroslav Koubek last week as the Bayer Leverkusen forward stressed they’d be up for a ‘fight’ against Ireland.

Ireland’s assistant boss John O’Shea borrowed that theme when stating that the ‘tanks are loaded for Thursday’ and powerhouse Collins is adamant his team won’t cower amid what’s shaping up to be a raucous atmosphere.

"There is always a possibility of the occasion getting to people,” the Brentford man said about tension abounding in the Prague air.

“That's for us to control; to control the noise in the stadium and how Czechia try to motivate their team. There could be some dark arts in football to calm them down, potentially.

"Every stadium we've played in, we've always heard the Ireland fans. It can work both ways. If we can encourage them, there is a massive chance they can be louder than the home team."

Much of the narrative around the Ireland team is maintaining the verve they developed from beating the top two seeds in their group, Portugal and Hungary, to snaffle second and this playoff route to North America in the summer.

Although a key component of that upturn, central midfielder Josh Cullen, is missing through injury, Collins is certain the deputies, including possibly Corkman Alan Browne, possess the quality to complete the mission.

"We've played games without Josh previously so we’re prepared for this,” he reasoned.

“There’s a lot of good midfielders who can step in there. I have a lot of faith and belief in the squad that they can do a job.

"I think there is a belief that we can do it, built upon strong motivation and excitement. We all realise we can do something, even if everybody knows we’re not already there.

“If we can carry what we've done since those games we've a really good chance to do something."

Both nations will be playing for the right to face either Denmark or North Macedonia in the March 31 final, with a World Cup berth up for grabs.

Czechia’s last World Cup qualification was 2006 and despite them reaching every Euro finals since, the craving to end their wait is palpable in Prague.

Likewise for Ireland. For the last time they graced the World stage in 2002, emerging star at Manchester United O’Shea narrowly missed out on the squad.

He won every club honour in the game and experienced two Euro finals but the global showpiece close call against France in 2009 is the one that still grates.

“Lovely, hit me where it hurts!" said Heimir Hallgrímsson’s sidekick when reminded of the one gap on his glittering CV.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my career but to have represented Ireland in a World Cup would have been a dream scenario.

“Touch wood, we’re not far away from, in a sense, the next best case for me.” 

A young O’Shea might have felt that opportunity would arise again but he’ll be highlighting to the players the importance of seizing the immediate moment.

“These are opportunities that you strive for at international level.

“We want the team, the fans and families to be able to celebrate occasions like they did last November.

“But that was just in a qualifying campaign. This is the next step for a playoff final, and then what can come from that in the summer.

“They’re huge moments, like a cup final now, so don’t let those moments pass.” 

Meanwhile, Czechia have created a surprise in their homeland by appointing 26-year-old Wolves defender Ladislav Krejčí as new captain, stripping Tomás Soucek permanently of the armband.

The West Ham United midfielder was disciplined by the Czechia FA after his team failed to applaud their fans following the facile 6-0 win over Gibraltar in November.

New manager Miroslav Koubek, in conjunction with general manager, legendary former midfielder Pavel Nedvěd, hinted last week at a new appointment and the big reveal has finally occurred.

“I have a sense of the whole situation in the team,” said former Ballon D’Or winner Nedvěd.

“You can feel how the team works and who is the natural leader, how everyone approaches it.

“The decision was quite simple and clear for me.”