England 'totally different' to 2016 - Hallgrimsson

Nations League Group B2: Republic of Ireland v England

Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 7 September Kick-off: 17:00 BST

Coverage: Listen connected BBC Radio 5 Live; unrecorded matter commentary connected nan BBC Sport website and app

Heimir Hallgrimsson says he hopes to emulate his celebrated triumph pinch Iceland complete England successful his first crippled arsenic Republic of Ireland boss, but concedes nan Three Lions broadside are "totally different" to nan 1 he faced astatine Euro 2016.

As co-manager of his autochthonal state alongside Lars Lagerback, Hallgrimsson helped condemn England to 1 of their astir embarrassing defeats erstwhile Iceland hit Roy Hodgson's broadside successful nan past 16 of nan European Championship successful France.

But Hallgrimsson sounded a statement of be aware to those possibly dreaming of a likewise momentous consequence for Irish shot successful Saturday's Nations League fixture successful Dublin.

"It is simply a wholly different England team," said Hallgrimsson, who was a astonishment prime to switch Stephen Kenny arsenic Republic of Ireland manager.

"The individual quality, nan method skills and velocity of this squad is overmuch higher than nan 1 we played.

"They are coming disconnected a bully tournament. The biggest quality is they had 2 months together [at nan Euros] and we person 3 days to prepare. They travel present connected a precocious and person players who play successful nan Champions League time successful and time out."

Hallgrimsson, who besides led Iceland to 2018 World Cup qualification pursuing Lagerback's exit, says Iceland's 2-1 triumph successful Nice was a crippled wherever everything went his side's way.

"We were conscionable speaking astir it successful nan car to here. That nighttime was special," he recalled.

"Everything we did that nighttime succeeded - tactical, taking our chances, defending our goal. Nothing that England tried that nighttime succeeded. It was conscionable 1 of those days."

Saturday's crippled is afloat of intrigue and subplots, from it being nan first competitory brushwood betwixt nan sides successful Dublin since 1990 to nan return of Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, some of whom opted to correspond England aft coming done nan Republic of Ireland's underage system.

There is besides liking successful nan men who will inhabit nan method areas. Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Lee Carsley, who had been linked pinch nan Irish job, leads England for nan first clip successful his interim domiciled pursuing Gareth Southgate's departure.

As for Hallgrimsson, location is dream that nan 57-year-old tin toggle shape nan fortunes of an Irish squad that managed conscionable 11 wins successful 40 games nether Kenny.

But nan erstwhile Jamaica leader was giving small distant connected nan eve of his first location lucifer successful charge.

Asked erstwhile he will pass nan players of his line-up, a smiling Hallgrimsson said: "Basically, it is nary of your business erstwhile I talk to nan players astir nan line-up.

"Usually I person done it matchday-1 successful nan afternoon, truthful nan players tin slumber connected nan starting line-up. That is nan normal way. If I do it now, I'm not sure."

And erstwhile asked if nan Republic of Ireland fans tin expect to spot a different style aliases style nether him, he responded: "You'll spot erstwhile we kick-off. We're not going to talk astir really we play aliases our tactics.

"You will cognize that, but it's a adjacent question."

When asked really his broadside tin unafraid what would beryllium nan Republic of Ireland's first triumph complete England since Euro 1988, Hallgrimsson said his players must usability collectively.

"I’m really excited to spot nan ambiance successful this monolithic crippled against England, to spot if we tin transportation what we’ve done successful training into nan pitch.

"Man for man, going gung-ho, we’d astir apt suffer 9 times retired of 10. It is amended being a collective."