Heimir Hallgrimsson succeeded in restoring winning feeling, now he must eradicate crestfallen version
Heimir Head Hallgrímsson Coach Pic: ©inpho/ryan Ireland Byrne
Wembley’s famed marble dressing-room has been the scene of various emotions for Ireland teams but Sunday at 7pm was unprecedented.
Four years ago, Stephen Kenny’s decibel levels rose as he implored players to avenge the historical superiority syndrome of the English.
The first competitive derby at the venue for 33 years generated a different atmosphere.
Holding England scoreless and being the victims of an unjust penalty claim rejection had players and staff in bullish form at the break.
Maybe, just maybe, Ireland could repeat what Iceland and Greece achieved by silencing the fervour with an unlikely second-half winner.
By the time they returned down the tunnel, a 5-0 scoreline greeted them on the screen inside.
No matter what mitigation is broached, including the dubious dismissal of Liam Scales leaving them a man light for 35 minutes, this humbling cuts deep.
Twelve years had passed since a similar walloping against Germany but the nature of the concessions, three over five minutes and the last pair four minutes apart, encircled it as Groundhog Day.
Even if Heimir Hallgrimsson had parked his shock to pontificate with a post-mortem, he wasn’t inclined to. Leaving players to wallow in their own thoughts and silence felt most appropriate.
“It’s tough to say something, to motivate players after that – it’s probably better to say less than more,” said the manager at the end of his six-game blitz of opening fixtures.
“I only urged them to look at this game again – take the positives as well as negatives and we go from there.”
This was fresh territory for the Icelander too. He’s on his fifth job in football at the age of 57.
“It was one of my worst second halves of football. I don’t remember conceding five goals in the second half of a match.
“It’s difficult to be a coach when this happens. You don’t have time to react to anything - all of a sudden you’re three zero down, one player down. You start to think of damage limitation.
“We needed to be smart after conceding a shock like this, to play the first minutes compact, not concede another one and try growing again into the match.
“That’s what should have happened at 1-0 but It’s easy to be outside and criticise.”
Whereas Ireland were taught a lesson in the first half of the home game, fortunate to only lose 2-0, this whitewash was administered after the break.
When analysing the turning point seven minutes into the second half, Callum O’Dowda’s defensive deficiencies were exposed.
His failure to cover behind Liam Scales enabled Harry Kane to telegraph a diagonal pass between the two defenders that Jude Bellingham gobbled up. If Scales hadn’t stuck out his foot to concede the penalty, it’s likely the Real Madrid star would have scored anyway.
Applying a clinical view, that O’Dowda and debutant Mark McGuinness – culpable for allowing Conor Gallagher slip in behind for the third – have never operated above Championship level was decisive in the moments that mattered.
Those lapses spoke volumes but the manager also noted how Ireland are suffering from their voice eluding them.
Only Evan Ferguson pleaded with referee Erik Lambrechts for the first-half turning point – a tug of the striker’s jersey by Marc Guehi which went unpunished. He was also denied a penalty call in last month’s defeat to Greece.
England, by contrast, weren’t slow to pressurise the Belgian officials.
“I felt at times the referees showed England too much respect,” said the former Iceland and Jamaica manager.
“The referee gave them too much and was probably biased in that aspect. We could have, and maybe should have, taken the lead in the game. It would have changed the whole lot."
They didn’t and the lack of scope to respond was a moot point ventilated by the manager. What’s clear, however, is a lull until the March window, during which players can be haunted.
It’s easier said than done to compartmentalise this as an off-day, to simply write it off in that context.
Most players live and work in England, some had teammates, current and former, on the opposition side that indulged the shellacking. That chorus from English fans of ‘Ireland get battered everywhere they go’ will remain ringing in their ears.
Ireland are unlikely to be encountering England on their route to the World Cup next year, a restriction predetermined by one occupying a four-nation qualifying group and the other five, but at least one similarly stocked nation awaits.
The identity of the second seeded nation has potential to render a difficult quest into a daunting one.
“Yes, I think,” replied Hallgrimsson when asked if he’s capable of recovering from this body-blow.
“I’ve seen a lot (30) of players. Andy Moran was the latest and although he came into a terrible position when we were 4-0 down, Yet Andy showed he’s confident to play at this level.
“This game was at odds with the rest of the campaign. If we can keep at the level of our first-half performance, we will be able to compete against any team.
“You always get answers from these games. Answers are not always how you want them to be but all answers are good because it helps to make decisions.”
Hallgrimsson succeeded in restoring the winning feeling; now he’s to eradicate the crestfallen version.
average goals scored per game (3 in 6 matches).
average goals conceded per game (12 in 6 matches).
clean sheet (1-0 v Finland in Dublin).
Liam Scales and Jayson Molumby suspended for the first leg of the relegation/promotion tie in March.
new caps awarded (Kasey McAteer, Jack Taylor, Mark McGuinness).
formations used (of which 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2 - twice each - were the most common).
Ireland's goal difference (3-12).
years since Ireland lost a competitive match by five goals (1-6 v Germany, WCQ, Dublin, October 2012).
cards received (12 yellow, 1 red).
attempts on target.
players used (of whom Kelleher, Nathan Collins and Sammie Szmodics started every match).
of Ireland's goals scored with headers (Scales, Evan Ferguson).
Ireland's rate of possession.
Ireland's rate of passing accuracy.
Two wins over Finland ensured Ireland avoided automatic relegation to League C but they still face a playoff in March to survive. Heimir Hallgrimsson will be present for the draw, aware Ireland will be favourites to prevail.
Potential opposition includes Slovakia, the team Ireland last encountered in a playoff. That was for a berth in a decider to earn a ticket at the Euro 2020 (delayed until 2021) finals and the Slovaks prevailed on penalties in an empty Bratislava stadium due to Covid-19.
Armenia is another possibility, as likely is Kosovo. Ireland will be at home in the second leg.
All federations around the world long ago began their qualifying campaigns for 2026 finals jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico except Uefa. Their delay owed to the complications caused by the Nations League finals.
Those aren’t scheduled until June 2025, meaning a coterie of nations cannot be drawn in five-nations groups. Half of the groups will contain four and these matches will occupy the three double-headers between September and November.
Ireland will be among the third pot of nations.