Martin O’Neill, the former manager, has consistently upheld his stance on the choices made by Jack Grealish and Declan Rice to play for England rather than Ireland. Going by O’Neill’s conversation with Ladbrokes last year, it was clear Jack and his family had no remorse for their decision. Recently, O’Neill shared his thoughts with TalkSport’s Simon Jordan and Jim White, commenting on Rice’s choice to play for England which led him to play in several Euros finals, in contrast to the Republic of Ireland. O’Neill joked that Rice must regret his decision now.
According to Daniel Kahnemann, the Nobel laureate, regret is not commonly seen. Instead, people usually justify their previous decisions and actions, much like how O’Neill does whenever discussing this topic.
However, one can’t help but wonder if a hint of regret sneaked into Grealish when he witnessed his appearance in the Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Summer Euros BBQ commercial, despite not being selected for the Euros.
This evening in Dublin, courtesy of interim manager Lee Carsley, Grealish has an opportunity to reclaim his place in the England team. Lee Carsley, who was the FAI’s first choice to replace Stephen Kenny, could seal his position as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor provided he delivers satisfactory results in this group stage of the Nations League. The FA’s primary objective is for Carsley’s squad to epitomise the DNA of England.
England’s DNA is characterised by a set of “philosophy statements”, one of which is the “possession philosophy statement,” which states their teams are programmed to intelligently dominate possession, recognising the right moments to advance the play and penetrate the opposition.
In England’s football philosophy, the goal is to regain control of the ball as promptly and strategically as possible, taking into account the circumstances of the matches and the premeditated strategy of the game. There are also standpoints on transition and formation, but the general principle should be clear by now. The teams under Southgate’s supervision excel in fundamental defensive strategies and goal scoring, but struggle with effective management of games against top-tier opponents. The last four matches that ended England’s tournament runs against Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain demonstrated this. Now, England is aiming to enhance their performance and target victory in upcoming tournaments.
In contrast, Ireland, under Heimir Hallgrímsson, has set more modest goals. During yesterday’s prematch press conference, Hallgrímsson deflected questions regarding Ireland’s game strategy for the night, but delivered an interesting query when asked about how the team plans to excite the fully booked home crowd. “What do you define as entertainment and excitement? What sparks your interest?” Hallgrímsson asked.
An intriguing question indeed; what is it we truly look forward to? Revisiting the renowned moments of Irish football in the 21st century offers some insights. You might recall Roy Keane’s tackle on Marc Overmars during the Ireland-Holland match in 2001 or Thierry Henry’s controversial left-hand ball control that left Paul McShane horrified. Or perhaps the image of Robbie Brady’s triumphant goal against Italy in Lille, not the goal itself but the emotional celebration, with his sibling’s teary joy visible in the crowd.
These unforgettable moments, steeped in emotion, are what we yearn for. However, it seems that the fans’ expectations of high emotion are diverging from the players, who require a greater sense of tranquility and control than ever.
This week, Hallgrímsson and John O’Shea expressed the need to pacify the Irish football players rather than agitating them. The evolution of the game they are participating in entails a continuous sequence of numeric puzzles that require a cool-headed approach rather than the ferocious zeal commonly associated with major matches.
A remarkable video that went viral this week captured a juvenile team, presumably in Florida, showing extraordinary teamwork to launch an impressive passing maneuver from their end of the pitch, sailing through thirds and culminating with their forward outmaneuvering the rival goalie and netting an open goal. The level of teamwork displayed was almost eerie.
When Johan Cruyff stated that football is a mind game, could he have envisioned this spectacle of synchronised mini-drones, just ten years old?
The game’s evolution coincides with Ireland’s diminishing dominance in international football. The past era of battlefield intensity was favourable to us. However, we’re still grappling with the current style that’s more akin to solving a sudoku or outplaying an opponent’s game plan. Unlike their counterparts in countries like Spain, England, or even Florida, young players in Ireland have not had an exposure to this style of gameplay from the early stages.
Stephen Kenny made an attempt to usher us into the modern era of football. While reflecting on St Pat’s match against Basaksehir in Istanbul last week, he lamented the struggle in Ireland of wanting to adopt a specific mode of play, but being constantly reminded of our limitations. If the outcome wasn’t ideal, the tone was predictable “what exactly were you expecting?”
Interestingly however, Kenny’s endeavors were mostly appreciated by fans and the media, who were yearning for change following the gloomy eras of O’Neill and Mick McCarthy II. The general sentiment was a hopeful one, with most believing that a shift in focus and mindset could help us progress.
Regrettably, the outcomes contradicted these hopes. During Kenny’s tenure, we played 10 qualifying games against teams who were our competitors for the top two spots – Serbia, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Greece, but our record was disheartening. From all these matches, we emerged victorious in none and suffered losses in eight. We netted only six goals, four of which came from corners. The sole goal that resulted from effective open-play passing was Alan Browne’s header against Serbia, which was our first.
Following two unsuccessful qualifying attempts, we found ourselves at a crossroads: either stick to the same strategy, hoping for a better outcome in future, or revamp our approach, considering the finite duration of our careers. The memorable recruitment of Hallgrímsson by the FAI indicates that the latter option was preferred.
In the previous week’s team selection, the Icelandic manager faced questions about whether Ireland will continue with their customary three-player defence, a strategy used over the past few years, or shift to the four-player defence setup he implemented during his tenure with Iceland. His response focused less on specific formations and more on the dynamic of the team, saying, “The most important thing is to find out what suits your players the best.”
Rather than rigid formations, he emphasised an orientation towards principles of play.
On the particular principle of initiating play from the defence, which Kenny propagated, with the goalkeeper passing short to the defenders, Hallgrímsson expressed a slow and steady approach. He stated, “This isn’t something you can rush, it will gradually develop. Eventually, you want to have that composed player in possession, capable of making potentially risky passes, while retaining control over the ball.
“At this point in time, however, there are other priority areas over devoting excessive time on build-up. To my mind, it’s all about functioning effectively, if that’s a result of good build-up play then that’s what we will aim towards.”
Reading between the lines, one could gather that Hallgrímsson’s approach echoes that of past Irish managers such as Trapattoni, O’Neill and McCarthy.
Admittedly, our squad may not stand out when compared to many other teams, but Ireland’s survival strategy should be grounded in humility, simplicity, and unity, defending resolutely, and maximising opportunities from set pieces. We must let go of empty promises of ‘attractive’ or ‘progressive’ football, and let unrealistic aspirations about potential and performances be a thing of the past. We must embrace a pragmatic approach, with success being predominantly measured by results. Only time will tell how this new style will unfold.