More than time needed to heal Wembley wounds

"Madness, lost our heads, gave up"; strong words from Heimir Hallgrimsson following the humiliation at Wembley Stadium.

The Icelander was thrown straight into the spotlight following the game, as he tried to make sense as to how his side were torn apart in the second half by a rampant England side that punished Ireland at every opportunity.

The comments, of course, could be construed of a manager putting the blame squarely on his players, but evidently, he was just trying to explain things from his vantage point on the sideline.

"It is easy to stand on the sideline and criticise," he added, while also rowing back on the "gave up" comment, saying maybe that was "too harsh".

Hallgrimsson has been all about the collective since taking over as national manager and he would most certainly have been including himself in the overall criticism of capitulating against the stylish hosts.

The manager came into the game quietly confident that his side could play the game on their own terms and attempt to frustrate and nullify England. He was quite candid about his philosophy, speaking about controlling the game out of possession, while saying that his side would have to suffer to get a result.

Despite the thawing of relations between the two nations in recent years, there was a hostile atmosphere throughout large sections of the ground, not helped by the potentially provocative military manoeuvres on the pitch before the game. The national anthems were then distinctly disrespected, but thankfully the tension did not spill onto the pitch.

Liam Scales' clattering tackle on Harry Kane and a tumble on the turf between the England captain and Jayson Molumby about as close as things got to causing any sort of commotion.

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