'Second best by far' - Hallgrimsson on England loss

Republic of Ireland head Heimir Hallgrimsson admits his broadside were "second champion by far" successful Saturday's Nations League conclusion by England and hopes nan players tin turn from having their weaknesses exposed.

Hallgrimsson's first crippled successful complaint ended successful disappointment arsenic goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, 2 players who utilized to correspond nan Republic of Ireland, helped England to a comfortable triumph astatine Aviva Stadium.

Both of England's goals came aft slack Irish defending pinch Hallgrimsson admitting he wanted his players to show much "confidence" and "decisiveness" astatine nan back.

"When you are defending successful a corporate way, you request to return decisions," said nan Icelander, who observed that he saw much "individual actions alternatively of a collective" from his defence.

"You request to judge successful action and a reaction. We were not bully astatine this."

Hallgrimsson has taken complete a broadside who won conscionable 11 retired of 40 games nether Stephen Kenny and their deficiency of assurance did not spell unnoticed by nan caller boss, who included his players' unwillingness to sprout and transverse from promising positions successful his analysis.

After a difficult first half, however, Hallgrimsson was heartened by what he felt was an improved second-half display, possibly aided by England taking their ft disconnected nan state aft building a two-goal lead.

The Republic of Ireland's origin was not helped by a deficiency of cutting edge, though, pinch Jayson Molumby and Sammie Szmodics passing up presentable chances to score.

"It was much initiative, we sewage a small spot higher. We were much compact," Hallgrimsson said of nan 2nd half.

"Easy to opportunity erstwhile you are winning 2-0, you astir apt return nan ft disconnected nan state a small bit.

"But I deliberation we tin study from this, turn from this and amended measurement by measurement from what we were doing alternatively of changing unit aliases changing formations successful nan adjacent game."

Hallgrimsson was co-manager of Iceland erstwhile they hit England astatine Euro 2016, but emulating that seismic consequence was ever going to beryllium a large inquire here.

Instead, nan 57-year-old is apt to beryllium judged connected games against teams who are person to nan Republic of Ireland successful nan world rankings, for illustration Greece, who are 4 places supra them and sojourn Dublin connected Tuesday evening.

Greece hit nan Republic of Ireland doubly successful Euro 2024 qualifying and Hallgrimsson is wished to oversee a alteration successful his team's fortunes.

"We really wanted to person a bully consequence against England but astir of america aren't happy that we wanted a amended performance," he said.

"We talked successful nan dressing room. Let's effort to look affirmative connected nan adjacent 2 games. This was a antagonistic but we cannot transportation it into nan crippled against Greece.

"They person shown they tin play good against Ireland truthful they person nan upper-hand. We request to alteration that."