HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON SAYS Republic of Ireland fans have the right to protest about the scheduled Nations League games with Israel but admitted his frustration at the two disruptions caused to Thursday’s 1-0 win over Qatar.
Tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch in the 10th and 20th minute during the first half with the Stop The Game group explaining they coordinated the plan.
“Everybody has a right to protest. It just kills a game if they want to destroy the game for us then, so be it, obviously it’s not fun to see, especially for us who are trying to think about the football side,” Hallgrímsson told RTÉ.
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“It didn’t bother me much. If I would have picked, then I would have liked to protest in the second half when we would like to kill the game down. But no, everybody has the right to protest,” he added in the post-match press conference for written media.
“Just thinking about the football side, it’s not fun for us watching a game that needs to be stopped again and again. But yeah, we respect the protest.”
Hallgrímsson said he was impressed with Jack Moylan’s contribution to his home debut, despite a red card which the Ireland boss insisted was unfair. Moylan “has done his chances no harm” according to the manager, who also praised the impact of 18-year-old Benfica winger Jaden Umeh after he was one of three players to make their full debut.
“He came in and showed he can play that position that we asked him to do. And then in possession, he’s electric, he has speed, physicality and then a little cockiness and believing in himself. So, you never know with young players. But potentially he can be one of the big ones in the future. Let’s just hope that he continues to grow.
“He’s in a good place in Portugal. They seem to grow a lot of good players from there. So, no, he’s in a good place. So let’s just hope that he continues his development.”
Hallgrímsson also felt the focus shown by his players was an indication of the positive culture and “mentality” of the squad, although said they needed “to learn to be more ruthless when we have superiority like we had in the first half.
“It was not the most beautiful game we’ve played and a friendly in off-season is always tricky, but what we need to be thankful for is the focus level of the players.
“They never lost focus or switched off during a game like this. Normally in games like this, some players switch off, but you didn’t see that in any player on the pitch for us and that is brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
“That shows the mentality of the squad we have now.”
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Heimir Hallgrímsson accepts Israel protests and hails focus of players
HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON SAYS Republic of Ireland fans have the right to protest about the scheduled Nations League games with Israel but admitted his frustration at the two disruptions caused to Thursday’s 1-0 win over Qatar.
Tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch in the 10th and 20th minute during the first half with the Stop The Game group explaining they coordinated the plan.
“Everybody has a right to protest. It just kills a game if they want to destroy the game for us then, so be it, obviously it’s not fun to see, especially for us who are trying to think about the football side,” Hallgrímsson told RTÉ.
“It didn’t bother me much. If I would have picked, then I would have liked to protest in the second half when we would like to kill the game down. But no, everybody has the right to protest,” he added in the post-match press conference for written media.
“Just thinking about the football side, it’s not fun for us watching a game that needs to be stopped again and again. But yeah, we respect the protest.”
Hallgrímsson said he was impressed with Jack Moylan’s contribution to his home debut, despite a red card which the Ireland boss insisted was unfair. Moylan “has done his chances no harm” according to the manager, who also praised the impact of 18-year-old Benfica winger Jaden Umeh after he was one of three players to make their full debut.
“He came in and showed he can play that position that we asked him to do. And then in possession, he’s electric, he has speed, physicality and then a little cockiness and believing in himself. So, you never know with young players. But potentially he can be one of the big ones in the future. Let’s just hope that he continues to grow.
“He’s in a good place in Portugal. They seem to grow a lot of good players from there. So, no, he’s in a good place. So let’s just hope that he continues his development.”
Hallgrímsson also felt the focus shown by his players was an indication of the positive culture and “mentality” of the squad, although said they needed “to learn to be more ruthless when we have superiority like we had in the first half.
“It was not the most beautiful game we’ve played and a friendly in off-season is always tricky, but what we need to be thankful for is the focus level of the players.
“They never lost focus or switched off during a game like this. Normally in games like this, some players switch off, but you didn’t see that in any player on the pitch for us and that is brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
“That shows the mentality of the squad we have now.”
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