Heimir Hallgrimsson reveals element of Senegal friendly that makes it perfect preparation for Portugal in World Cup bid

The Irish Sun

a day ago

WHEN Senegal were unveiled as friendly opponents for Ireland, Heimir Hallgrimsson stressed the importance of such games to prepare for a World Cup.
With our last global finals appearance almost a quarter of a century ago, it has been a long time since Irish fans have dared look that far ahead.
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Heimir Hallgrimsson believes the friendly against Senegal will be perfect preparation for Ireland's World Cup bid
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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Ireland face the African side at the Aviva Stadium tonight
Credit: AFP or licensors
And most would probably settle for the team being able to hold its own in
In
reality
, the fact that
Yet at 19th in the world, Senegal were — after the
And, with 20 games played since their last defeat, they boast the longest current unbeaten run in international
football
.
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Prior to that, they had gone nine consecutive games without defeat meaning just one loss in 30.
By way of contrast, Ireland have been beaten 16 times in their last 30.
Watch Robbie Brady aim hilarious dig at Ireland teammates after winning Player of the Year award
After
The Three Lions scored seven times without reply over two
And Hallgrimsson is pleased with what he says are signs of improvement. He said: 'I would say we have taken a step, both defensively and in attack. We have tried to simplify things, some things we like to repeat all the time. Some things the players are starting to understand, what to think when you win the ball, where to look, our identity is clearer and clearer every camp we play and we try to hammer that home.
'As I have said often, going to a club, playing for your club for three months and then coming in for a week with the national team, the most important thing is to try and sink in how we should think as a team, defend as a team, what are the principles here.
'It might be totally different at your club. That's the most important thing in a national team, that the principles are 100 per cent. If you don't have the basics then details don't matter.
'We try to hammer in the basics, in our principles defending and our principles in attack.
'Hopefully you see it, but we see it when we analyse the game, show them the clips of the good things that are happening. For me, it's because they are thinking now more and more the same way.'
STYLES CLASH
But he acknowledged Ireland will be coming up against a completely different style of football to what they have faced to date.
It has been 15 years since the Boys in Green took on African opposition, beating Algeria 3-1 at the RDS during Giovanni Trapattoni's reign.
That is, in part, down to the reduced number of friendlies in international football but more to do with Ireland's absence from the
Hallgrimsson said: 'If you look at their matches and how they play, massive physicality, I'd say not only speed but
running
power, they come at you again and again, they look for the
space
behind you.
'If you watch Afcon, a team like Senegal are specialists in finding pockets to play into, to run into, a third man running in, so we will be tested defensively massively in this game if they play like they have done.
'In their last 20 games they haven't lost. It's amazing for a national team to play 20 games without losing and, before that again, nine games without losing so they are a massive team.
'The first goal is important and that's another aspect of the game when we play them, and individual qualities, similar to
'Everything happens a little bit quicker when we need to defend — if we are ready for that it's a good preparation for
'It's a different kind of opponent, they are looking for spaces behind us and it doesn't happen that often in Europe. Normally there are a few passes before the teams play behind us but that's one of the things we need to look at and improve.'
TOPPING THE PILE
Portugal's Nations League semi- final win over
But the ambition remains to top that group because the play-offs are as much a trap door as a back door.
Hallgrimsson added: 'If you end up second, you need to go through two play-off matches to qualify. So everybody's eyes at the beginning of the tournament are on first spot.
'And I think looking at the group, there will be lost points, even for Portugal. So we just need to take care of ourselves and let's see where that brings us.'
For now, tonight's game, and Tuesday's match in Luxembourg, will be about preparation for September when
With
Tonight's starting side may not resemble the line-up in September, given
Josh
Cullen has been rested and others such as Sammie Szmodics and
But Hallgrimsson — who will check on how
He said: 'I wouldn't mind losing both these games if we won both games in September, but obviously we want to win all of our matches and we go to every match to win it.
'It is important that we have more than 11 players ready to play.
'There is a different type of individual but the principles are the same and we'd like to introduce the principles to as many players as possible. We never know what's going to happen in September, October, November.'
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Evan Ferguson and Andrew Moran, right, during a Republic of Ireland training session
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile