Hallgrimsson wants Ireland to become more nasty

Ireland's Heimir Hallgrimsson wants the Republic of Ireland team to become less nice ahead of their Nations League campaign.

Ireland will begin their Nations League campaign on September 7 at Aviva Stadium against England, giving the new Ireland boss and fans a chance to see what the Irish players are made of.

This week, Hallgrimsson sat down with fans to discuss topics about the Ireland team, and he firstly claimed that he saw similarities between his former Iceland side and the current Ireland side.

“I think in many ways, Ireland is similar to Iceland in the sense that we don’t have many players playing at the highest level in the Champions League,” said the man who previously co-managed his homeland at Euro 2016 and as a standalone coach for the 2018 World Cup," Hallgrimsson told the Independent and other reporters at a Q&A session.

“There were some superpowers we always focused on, and the objective was to improve in each camp—firstly, to be the best defensive team, then the best set-piece team, and to have the best team spirit.

“So, there is no high-profile player."

Ireland's team doesn't have a Gareth Bale or a Kylian Mbappe, so there is a need to improve the collective squad. Hallgrimsson admits that he's been impressed by the players, but he also added that there needs to be an injection of nastiness going forward.

“It’s going to be down to the squad to win the games, not the individuals.

“I think the first impression of the players is that they are really good team players, really good characters, maybe a little bit too nice.

“Sometimes you need a bastard in your team. I am looking for him. Maybe we can develop him.”

Really enjoyable night chatting to new Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson at a packed fans forum at the Aviva Stadium.

He was very open throughout, will be some nuggets across the papers in the morning. pic.twitter.com/lK3SxByFHr

— Will O'Callaghan (@willocallaghan) August 21, 2024

The new Ireland manager has gone with continuity and opted to keep former Ireland player and interim boss John O'Shea on the coaching staff. O'Shea returns to the fold as Hallgrimsson's assistant on the sidelines.

Former Manchester United defender O'Shea took charge of the team for four friendly fixtures this year following Stephen Kenny's departure in November. Paddy McCarthy, another former interim coach, will also continue in an assistant's role.

When asked how he felt about the staff appointments, Hallgrimsson admitted that he was happy and that more staff members were being approached.

“I’m happy with the staff, but I’d like to see how things go and how we grow,” he added.

“We can add in, especially by having a bridge between the medical team and fitness coaches.

“I was trying to get a Spanish guy. He worked with me previously in Qatar and came into the Jamaica camp in the six weeks leading up to Copa America.”

Ireland will begin their campaign on September 7 against England in a League B, Group B2 match. Following this, on September 10, they will take on Greece. The team will then travel to Finland for their next fixture on October 10. Just three days later, on October 13, Ireland will face Greece again, this time away.

Their penultimate match will be on November 14, when they host Finland. Finally, Ireland will conclude their group stage on November 17 with a match against England.

See More: Football, Ireland

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