JOHN O’SHEA ADMITTED there is a vast difference in quality between Ireland and Portugal as he saw his side fall to a comprehensive 3-0 friendly defeat in Aveiro.
Joao Felix capitalised on some awful Ireland defending from a short corner to out Portugal ahead, before Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice after half-time to condemn the visitors to their heaviest defeat since losing to England in 2020.
Speaking after the game to RTÉ, interim boss O’Shea admitted that the difference in levels between both nations is stark.
“I think you’ll agree Portugal have a very good team and a very good squad, and the levels where both teams and both countries are at is very different”, O’Shea told Tony O’Donoghue.
In spite of that, O’Shea was frustrated at the manner of the goals Ireland conceded, and the fact they won far fewer duels than they did in his three previous games in charge.
“When you give a team of Portugal’s quality the goals we did, it’s very frustrating”, said O’Shea. “Especially from a set piece like that. We spoke about it: they normally like to play around our shape, and we let them get through us. As we mentioned with the calibre of player they have, if you give them that space you will be under pressure.
“We talked about protecting the ball when it gets through to the striker and how important that was going to be for us. What’s disappointing tonght, against Belgium, Switzerland, and Hungary the duels we were winning, the battles we were winning, tackles we were coming out on top of: we didn’t tonight. That was the frustrating one. That in a sense caused the other two goals.”
O’Shea said he spoke to the players after the game to stress the importance of their getting their club futures sorted quickly, so as to be playing regular football ahead of the Nations League campaign in September, which begins with a home game against England.
“You are trying to reflect for the players to understand how important it is for this country to get back qualifying for tournaments, that they have to sort their own club level out, that they are back playing as quickly as possible to win games”, said O’Shea.
With the FAI still not having hired a permanent manager, however, and with O’Shea not explicitly ruled out of the running, he remains in a state of limbo. Asked by RTÉ whether he would accept the role of assistant manager to the next boss, O’Shea said did not engage.
“Let’s wait and see”, he said.
Whoever the next manager is will have to sort out our set pieces. We used to be good at them both defending and attacking. Now we seem to be conceding a goal from a set piece in every game. And we’ve lost our threat from them as well.
As for tonight there’s a big gap between the two teams especially on a night like this where we didn’t get close to them and put in tackles. We would have to take at least 4 yellow cards to have any chance, wasn’t going to happen tonight.
Portugal are 1st tier team, we are 3rd. Our ambition should be to get to 2nd level.
I think their have been positives in these 4 friendlies. Kelleher in goal, O Brien.Smallbone and Cullen showing a bit more stability in front of our defence.
Enough from our forwards to suggest that the right combination could do well.
@Bert Carolan: But the Fai need to get the manager sorted.
Why did Johns interview remind me of the Steve Staunton era and then there was that bygone phrase with a twist ‘‘put us under pressure’. I don’t know folks – seems like Groundhog Day
I don’t have much of an issue with performance. Missing a few players. Guys winding down for summer etc. What is annoying me is these games should have been used by new manager to get a team shape and ideas going. Instead we have had O Shea. First games he obviously had an idea to keep it tight and just get a result. Now he’s in the running for job. It makes you wonder would he have done things differently. It’s 4 games and 2 camps wasted going into a tough Nations league game. What does John and his staff do? Hang around all summer hoping for work or go off and find jobs. It’s a complete and utter shambles
Players lack basic skills. Lads in Ireland laud the championship. Well it’s a shit kick and rush league. If Sammy Szmodics can score 30 goals in it , can’t be up to much. Attitude from some of the players is terrible. Doherty attempt at a pass tonight , an auld dear in a 5 a side be embarrassed by it.
Same old same old, this was an opportunity to *break in* a new Ireland boss and team, but all we got was the Kenny game. The FAI are treating us like fools….. We are not!!
This managerial issue should have been shown red and the new era ready to roll from September.
A farce!!!
The new manager will have to magic up a new midfield
I guess it’s still Stephen Kenny’s fault, Ya.