Ireland's Nathan Collins has revealed he is proud of how he bounced back from a mistake in Helsinki, which led to Finland's opening goal last month.
The newly appointed Irish captain received a pass back from Liam Scales and tried to touch the ball into space. However, an advancing Finnish player intercepted, took control, and put the hosts 1-0 up on the night. Ireland rallied and won 2-1, but the inquest into another Irish error became a hot topic in media circles afterward.
Speaking about the Nations League game against Finland in Dublin this week, Collins explained that his experience in dealing with past mistakes helped him grow and overcome the error in Helsinki.
"You just have to bounce back, really," said Collins to RTE Sport.
"I think I’ve made enough mistakes in my career already that I know I have to bounce back, and I thought I did alright. Mentally, probably a year or two earlier, I would have been a bit lost after that. It would have affected me badly."
The Brentford player also revealed he was proud of how he reacted to the mistake and praised his teammates for making the win the overall story rather than his blunder as the new Irish captain.
"I think I’m proud of how I reacted, how I got on with it and moved on—just went back to basics, won my little duels, made my little passes, did those things right, and got myself back in the game.
"Of course it’s annoying; it affects you. But with the group we have here, I know they’ll fight for me; they’ll look after me—and they did."
🗣️ 'It does feel a lot of these mistakes are coming from the fact the players don't have the same level of purpose...'@nathanmurf looks at why players like Nathan Collins make mistakes at international level, in spite of being exceptional at club level.
⚽️ w/ @WilliamHillIre. pic.twitter.com/LgrVtEf2Hh
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 13, 2024
The captain's armband can weigh heavily on players because of the expectations around it. Leaders like Robbie Keane and Roy Keane led by example in the past, but Collins is a very different type of captain. He isn't seen as a "Mr. Nasty" on the pitch.
The 23-year-old was asked in the same press conference if he felt he needed to develop a meaner image to lead the Irish squad going forward. Collins disagreed, saying he wasn’t going to change his style for the sake of it.
"Nathan Jones made me captain at Stoke when I was 18 for the way I was, and I don’t think I’ve changed much on a mental level—maybe a bit physically.
"I don’t think my style will ever change just because there’s an armband on my arm. I think I’ll always be the same player, whether I have it or not.
"I’ll always try to be positive and encourage; talk to people—I’ll always be that person. Maybe he’s seen that in me, so why would I change something that I can already do?"
Ireland welcomes Finland to Dublin tonight, with kick-off at 7:45 pm at the Aviva Stadium, before playing England at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, November 17, with kick-off at 5 pm.
Republic of Ireland Squad: Finland & England
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Max O'Leary (Bristol City)
Defenders: Matt Dotherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Ryan Manning (Southampton), Mark McGuinness (Luton Town), Liam Scales (Celtic), and Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City). Jake O'Brien (Everton)
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Andy Moran (Stoke City, on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion).
Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Tom Cannon (Stoke City, on loan from Leicester City), Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Festy Ebosele (Watford, on loan from Udinese), Kasey McAteer (Leicester City), Sammie Szmodics (Ipswich Town), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion).
Fixtures: UEFA Nations League
14/11: Ireland vs. Finland, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm
17/11: England vs. Ireland, Wembley Stadium,
See More: Football, Ireland, Nathan Collins
