HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON WAS distinctly unimpressed with the two goals the Republic of Ireland conceded in their 2-0 defeat to Greece.
A strike from outside of the box just three minutes into the second half was followed by a second in injury time after Caoimhín Kelleher misplaced a pass from the back.
Hallgrímsson said he was proud of how his players reacted to the first setback but that giving up the initiative to the Group 2 leaders in League B of the Nations League was not good enough.
“Honestly, we were not happy with the first half. Before the game, we knew it was going to be a tough match with all that was going around, the wave that is here, and we knew that there would be a hostile atmosphere and a good crowd behind the Greeks.
“They just came from a win in England, they are top of the group and we knew that the first minutes would be tough. But going through the first half without conceding made us feel, ‘Okay, the chance is there for us’. But to concede so early was a blow and it was a sloppy goal. I need to see it again, but I saw one replay and it was a sloppy goal.
“But anyway, from that moment I think we really grew into the game. It was like a little bit of pressure was off, maybe comparing that to the Finland game as well, so it looked like when we have nothing to lose, we start to play like we should.
“I was proud of the guys second half, how they played, how they pressed, won the ball high up, got it in dangerous positions and had some chances, so proud of that, and we stayed in the game until the 87th minute or something.
“And then again Christmas in November again for us. We’re giving too many gifts to the opponent. But I like to take the positives from this and I think we showed ourselves. Hopefully the people saw that as well, what we can actually do, how we can play if we are on the front foot, positive with belief in what we are doing, et cetera, so happy with that positive to take from that.”
Kelleher made a string of important saves in the first half and Hallgrímsson was not pointing the finger of blame at the goalkeeper as he also reflected on this week as a whole, one which delivered a first win of his reign against Finland
“I have a goalkeeper coach who always says the same thing: football is a team sport until a goalkeeper makes a mistake, then it’s no longer a team sport. It is what it is. You never know, but we were really in the game, we were getting the ball in dangerous positions at this moment.
“But winning or losing was not there, it was because we started too late, I think, to believe in ourselves. I have no delusions; this is always about results. This is a results business, the national team, so we always like to have points, and we always like to win,” he said.
“But now I’ve been two weeks with these guys, and I think what has happened in these two weeks has been really positive. I think the guys are more on board and I think when we do it, and it’s not like it’s five or 10 minutes.
“The second-half against Finland was really good and I think this second-half was pretty good as well, even under difficult conditions against a really good team, especially here at home. So I think we have shown ourselves and the fans again what we can do. If we keep working on the correct things, improving how we play both with and without the ball, there is only one way and that is forward, growing.”
What should our level be? In the 90s, we reached 6th in the world, with top players at major British clubs.
Since then, despite the game’s growth in Ireland, the Bosman ruling and freedom of movement have displaced Ireland as a breeding ground for English clubs. Additionally, there are now 67% more UEFA nations since Italia 90.
The FAI had a front-row seat during all of this. We needed to reduce our total reliance on the British system and build connections with other European leagues through sporting diplomacy, while also developing our own professional league.
We didn’t. The sad reality is that, given our participation numbers and our league’s current ranking, we may still have further to fall.
@Gavin Healy: the Charlton era killed Irish football in many ways. We had a golden generation of Irish and British born diaspora players who were playing for the best clubs across the water. It came without any effort and I guess the people in power at the fai imagined it would always be thus and therefore made no effort to plan ahead. Rugby was in the doldrums (at least the Irish intl team) and those in power were forced to change the dynamics of the situation by being creative and showing foresight. Irish football probably needs that reckoning now but will it happen or will they just wait and hope to be lucky once more. Scales was the best Irish outfield player last night by far and he cut his teeth in the LOI. Thé LOI needs to be invested in and strengthened.
Central midfield looks so lightweight. Hopefully Jack Taylor can break into Ipswich team and become a regular. Hopefully Bosun Lawal can become important at Stoke soon.
@John Pembroke: joe hodge andrew moran
the 4-4-2 formation was stronger than I’ve seen us play in yrs. We laid off Greece… giving far too much room to the players on the ball in Irelands half, to make whatever pass they wanted… too much respect… in the first half. We looked very tired. 2nd half, when we had to chase, we were far more effective. He had a good team selection. I thought Parrott did well up top with Evan. The subs brought real fresh energy and pressed well. Overall, thought it was a strong performance in the second half, against a superior Greek side. Players played with more pride and intelligence… probing. Love Feisty on the right wing… so positive. To the earlier comments re. FAI… can’t we raze em, and start over. They’ve proven themselves unfit for purpose time and time again. Proud of this teams performance compared to how they played against England and Greece in Dublin
He needs to take responsibility for poor team selection, knowing they will have more of the ball. Another central midfielder was needed instead of one of the strikers.
@Emmet: So your solution to our lack of quality midfielders is to pick more of them?
Same old same old
What doesn’t help league of Ireland there is no money in our game for investors. Over the years in the UK you had Coolmore owners and JP McManus with Man Utd , you have Dermot Desmond owning Celtic the Peterborough owner so there is more on top of these. All have owned clubs or still do if the money ain’t there in the league to cover some of your bills they won’t invest. Until this changes it won’t happen. Also now more so than ever how many league of Ireland players have gone to Italy there is loads.
I get players wise we ain’t near the standard of years gone by. But some of the mistakes made this month have been from Premier League standard players who should know better so players need to take ownership and do a lot better.
@Leighton Cullen: almost nobody invests in football to make money. The only people who make money from football are the players (workers). It’s Karl Marx’s dream. I think what rich people get from football is notoriety and influence. I think the government and FAI could make it attractive to invest in LOI (tax breaks etc.) if they were willing to and clever enough. Of course it’s not the governments job , the initiative must come from fai, with a plan and sell it to government and investors
Allways conceed after halve time