'It feels like the jersey is too heavy for some players' - Heimir Hallgrimsson

Heimir Hallgrimsson believes that the weight of wearing the Ireland jersey is affecting players' confidence following Tuesday night’s defeat to Greece.

The 2-0 loss at the Aviva Stadium made it back-to-back losses for the new manager and Hallgrimsson reckons that it all comes down to confidence, or lack there of, as he reflected on the game at the post-match press conference.

Overall, the manager was actually quite positive after the game – most notably compared to the mood following Saturday’s defeat to England – and he felt that there was a lot of good things to take into next month’s international window.

And it would be hard to argue with Hallgrimsson based on the overall performance in what was just the second game of his tenure.

Saturday’s disastrous debut against England was atoned for somewhat, as the new-look Ireland side appeared to play with confidence and cohesion throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Hallgrimsson selected three centre-halves, however, he set the team up with four at the back, asking Andrew Omobamidele to slot in at right back with Nathan Collins taking the captain’s armband in Seamus Coleman’s absence through injury.

Four also across the middle with Will Smallbone tasked with linking play between midfield and the solitary striker, Sammie Szmodics, who offered an energetic outlet from the opening exchanges.

Greece’s main threat was expected to come from the dynamic Kostas Tsimikas, and Ireland were well covered in that department with Omobamidele and Chiedozie Ogbene both possessing the pace to cope with the Liverpool wide man.

The new-look formation resulted in a compact and well-organised unit as Ireland nullified the Greece threat throughout the first half and showed composure, and even a touch of