EVEN HUNGARY’S BIGGEST football fan has more important things to do than travel to Dublin for their Euro 2024 warm-up friendly with the Republic of Ireland this evening.
The country’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, is in the middle of campaigning for the European Parliament election on 9 June and is doing so by framing it as one in which the world is on the brink of war as the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.
Such is the severity of what the autocratic leader says is at stake, he also chose to attend a “peace march” in Budapest on Saturday when the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund was taking place at Wembley.
Ordinarily over the course of his 14 years in power, an occasion like that in London would have had his full focus.
But these are different times for a football-obsessed leader who is an ally for Vladimir Putin, an inspiration to Donald Trump and, according to the Associated Press, “has become an icon to some conservative populists for championing what he calls ‘illiberal democracy’, replete with restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights… he’s also cracked down on the press and judiciary in his country and rejiggered the political system to keep his party in power while maintaining the closest relationship with Russia among all European Union countries.”
When Hungary’s Euro 2024 campaign gets underway against Switzerland in 11 days you can be sure Orban will once again utilise it for his own gain.
Especially if Marco Rossi’s side can continue their impressive form in Germany.
They will face the hosts on 19 June before finishing the group stage against Scotland.
The last time Hungary lost a match, the Republic of Ireland men’s senior team even had a permanent manager.
It’s a 14-game run stretching back to the 2022 Nations League series in which Hungary beat England home and away – including a 4-0 triumph at Wembley – and also secured a famous 1-0 victory over Germany 1-0 in Leipzig before a 2-0 defeat by Italy condemned them to second place.
They didn’t lose a game in the Euro qualifiers and with Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai skippering them from the heart of midfield, they arrive in Dublin with a sense of identity, purpose and understanding of what is required of them.
The contrast could hardly be starker with Ireland and the pervading sense of drift as the search for a permanent manager continues.
When Rossi took over Hungary in 2018 they were 53rd in FIFA’s rankings. They have since climbed to 26th and are just eight off their best position, although they’ve not reached a World Cup since 1986 and they didn’t make it out of the group at the last Euros.
This is their third consecutive appearance on this stage and for interim Ireland boss John O’Shea he could not have been clearer about how he has sought to make his impression on the squad for a second time, having also been in caretaker charge for the March window.
“Whatever game we come in to, I’m always looking for good results. Belgium at home, we wanted to win. Against Switzerland at home, we wanted to win. And it is the same [now]. We want to beat Hungary, we want to get the Irish team winning again, it’s as simple as that,” O’Shea said, making reference to current Donegal GAA boss Jim McGuinness.
“Get the mindset right in terms of winning the games at home especially, that’s the big thing, because if you know you are back winning matches… A Donegal man has that saying, I think, ‘Jimmy’s winning matches’. So that’s the big thing for me. We’ve got to get winning matches.”
While there is that feeling of confusion and almost apathy from the outside, the FAI are still expecting in the region of 37,000 supporters at Aviva Stadium tonight.
Inside the camp, too, the talk is of a focused group of players that are not winding down for the summer but want to put their best foot forward to put O’Shea in contention for the job on a permanent basis.
The plan the Ireland centurion international concocts with assistants Paddy McCarthy and Glenn Whelan will have to be pitch perfect.
“His preparation has been unbelievable, not just the gaffer but Paddy [McCarthy], Glenn [Whelan], Rene [Gilmartin] and all the staff have been very good,” captain Seamus Coleman said yesterday.
“It’s been exciting, refreshing and as the manager touched on, we weren’t far away from winning those [March] games, but that’s what it’s about, that’s what we’re working towards.
“I have nothing to gain from [saying] that. I’m 35, my time is coming short. I’m speaking honestly. The manager has been brilliant and it’s been really refreshing.”
Whether that leads to a fresh start for Ireland under O’Shea remains to be seen, although FAI director of football has again tied himself to a deadline of having a manager in place for the visit of England for the opening Nations League game on 7 September.
That is what this fixture should be proper preparation for, instead it feels like just another pitstop for an impressive side heading to the Euros while Ireland look to find a way out of this no man’s land.
