Hallgrimsson Aims to Lead Ireland to Another Upset Against England
New Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson is hoping history will repeat itself as he prepares for his first game in charge, with England set to visit the Aviva Stadium today. The 57-year-old Icelandic coach famously helped orchestrate one of the biggest upsets in recent football history when Iceland defeated England 2-1 in the last 16 of Euro 2016, a match that plunged Roy Hodgson’s men into one of their most humbling defeats. Now, Hallgrimsson is eyeing another shock victory, this time for Ireland.
Reflecting on that night in Nice, Hallgrimsson remains optimistic but grounded. “I hope we will have the same result tomorrow, of course,” he said. “We were just speaking in the car on the way in – that night was special. Everything we did that night succeeded, whether it was tactical, taking our chances, defending our goal, and nothing England tried that night succeeded, so it was just one of those days.”
However, the Icelandic coach knows that replicating that feat will be no easy task. “Hopefully it will come again tomorrow,” he added. “But we know, even if we have our best game, it still isn’t sure it will lead into a victory against a good team like England. We need to make sure we have the best game we can tomorrow and see what that gives us.”
Hallgrimsson, who recently replaced Stephen Kenny as Ireland’s manager, is well aware of the scale of the challenge. He acknowledged the stark difference between the current England side and the team his Icelandic squad faced back in 2016. “It’s a totally different team. The individual quality, the technical skills, the speed, of this team is much higher than the one we played,” he admitted.
Under the interim management of former Ireland international Lee Carsley, this England squad is packed with Champions League-level talent. Hallgrimsson is cautious of their continuity, noting, “They have stayed together for two months now, and we have three days to prepare. That is going to be challenging as their routine is so drilled, whether it’s on the pitch or off the pitch.”
Ireland will be looking to tap into the spirit of past triumphs, most notably Ray Houghton’s famous goal that secured a 1-0 victory over England in Euro ‘88. However, the gap between the two teams was laid bare the last time they met, when England secured a comfortable 3-0 victory in a friendly at Wembley in 2020. The challenge for Hallgrimsson and his squad is bridging that gap.
For Ireland captain Seamus Coleman, Saturday’s fixture offers more than just an opportunity to face one of international football’s heavyweights—it’s a chance to impress a new manager. Coleman, 35, is a veteran of Irish football, having played under numerous managers, including Giovanni Trapattoni, Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy, and Stephen Kenny, but he knows that past accomplishments mean little when a new boss takes over.
“There’s no God-given right to play for your country, there’s no God-given right to play for your club,” Coleman said. “You’ve got to turn up every day in training and give your best while you can. Then it’s up to the manager to decide who he plays and who he doesn’t.”
As Ireland prepares for this highly anticipated clash, Hallgrimsson and his squad are hoping that lightning strikes twice, and that they can deliver a performance to remember at the Aviva Stadium.
UEFA Nations League Group B2
Republic of Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium, 5pm
TV/STREAMING
Watch live build-up and coverage of the match on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 4pm.
RADIO
Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday Sport.