The Irish players had only got back to Dublin this week when all of the emotion from Hungary came flooding back. You can see it in the smiles, the readiness. Some of it is just being among the squad again, with the World Cup now in sight. Some of it is what Heimir Hallgrimsson has already said to them this week, before an initial play-off away to Czech Republic.
The four-month wait since Troy Parrott’s heroics has at least allowed a manager as measured as the Icelander a lot of time to think about this week of weeks for Ireland, and he’s long known what he’s going to say to his squad and when – as well as what his tactical approach will be.
