SAMMIE SZMODICS has suggested it will take time for Ireland to gel under new boss Heimir Hallgrímsson following today’s 2-0 defeat by England.
The Boys in Green were well beaten by the visitors as life under the Icelandic manager began disappointingly.
“At half time the manager said to us that we need to press high and get up the pitch more,” the Ipswich star said afterwards. “He said to us before the game that it was important for us not to show them too much respect and in the first half we did just that.
“But in the second half, we got after them and we got up the pitch more. We started to win first and second balls; we forced them to go long a lot more.
“The manager wants us to be positive, to get up the pitch. We have not had much time with him and while certain things gelled today, more of that will come when we have more time on the grass with him.
“The fact is that if you give these [England] guys half a yard, they will punish you. They are a passing team, they keep the ball moving, and their rotations are effective. We were bamboozled for the second goal, their sequence of one-twos.”
Szmodics, who was making his competitive debut, admitted his culpability for Jack Grealish’s goal.
“We have to learn quickly and to be fair, the two goals were sloppy. They were not anything tactical. From me, for the second goal, I should have stayed with my man in the cutback area. It is just little individual errors that we need to be better at. The manager made it very clear what he wanted from us and in the second half, we put more pressure on England.”
Down the other end, the 28-year-old shot narrowly wide early in the second half as Ireland suddenly threatened an unlikely comeback.
“I think I should have done better,” he said of this rare chance. “It was a cutback pass. I like going into the box and then, coming back out to the cutback area. The least I should have done was hit the target. A player of my quality should hit the target.”
He continued: “It’s always different when a new manager comes in with a new philosophy, ways he wants to play in and out of possession and time will tell when we get used to it.
“It’s hard when you come away with the international team, some of the lads have never played together, some have only played together a handful of times, a new manager comes in, we are an honest group, the manager has made it clear what he wants from us, it might take time to gel. To a man we have put in 110%, we tried to get the crowd off their seats with tackles and winning back possession, we need to be a bit better in transition.”
Ireland don’t have much time to put things right as they have another big game at home to Greece on Tuesday.
The Greeks twice beat Stephen Kenny’s Ireland in the Euro 2024 qualifiers but Szmodics is hopeful for a different outcome this time around.
“England are a good team but so are we. We have to play with more belief. We are a good team. And we are an honest team. No one will work harder than us and that is a guarantee. On the ball we have to get a bit better and get used to how this manager wants to play.
Meanwhile, despite the disappointing outcome, Kasey McAteer expressed pride at making his Ireland debut.
It is almost a year since news of English-born McAteer’s eligibility broke and the 22-year-old was delighted to finally get a chance to line out for the Boys in Green after resolving passport issues.
He replaced Adam Idah in the 75th minute with the hosts 2-0 down.
“It was amazing. It’s like a dream come true, playing at a packed-out Aviva against a top side like England, it’s what dreams are made of. To have my family here to share it with me is a moment that will live with me forever.
“I had a little thought about my nan and my uncle Joey, they are no longer with us but would have been so proud looking down. They were big Ireland fans so it was a nice moment. Hopefully, I can have more in the future.”
