Any fresh hope brought on by the presence of a new figure in the Ireland dugout has quickly been diminshed after Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side was comfortably beaten 2-0 by England last Saturday.
The Boys In Green hardly landed a glove and conceded early as their failed to frustrate their old rivals in a game which encapsulated the current squad’s ongoing woes.
Little creativity in attack and shakiness at the back marred Irish efforts, despite the change of management, with the country falling to yet another Nations League defeat.
It has been a staggering descent for Ireland since the highs of beating Italy and running France close at Euro 2016 with Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy and Stephen Kenny all failing to get the squad to former heights.
That squad quality has evidently diminished with most of the big names from that Euros campaign having retired from the game and their successors have failed to make the same impact.
The criticism of Ireland’s display has been far and wide in recent days, with Irish and foreign pundits aligned in their assessments of what they had seen.
Former Chelsea star George Burley labelled Ireland ‘absolutely garbage’ after their meek defeat and he wasn’t the only one alarmed at the team’s rapid fall.
Tony Cascarino likened Ireland to San Marino after dire England defeat
Irish soccer legend Tony Cascarino appeared on talkSPORT when he lamented what he had seen from his former side.
The former forward likened Ireland to the minnows of global football including San Marino – a nation who recently won their first competitive match in 20 years.
“It was a non-contest I couldn’t work out in the first 45 minutes if Ireland are more similar to Andorra, San Marino or The Faroe Islands,” Cascarino said.
“Ireland’s players may not be playing for the most glamorous clubs but they are still professional footballers so it has to be a given that you close people down and make things difficult for the opposition.
“For England’s players it was a dream to play against.
“I know that my managers (Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy) if they had seen what was happening in the first half they would have made at least two or three subs because the whole idea was to make it difficult for the other tea.
“It was never difficult for England it wasn’t even a game it was a comfortable training game; everything about it didn’t represent any Ireland v England game that I played in.”
These are sobering times for an Ireland squad which must regroup for their Tuesday night clash with Greece – who notably beat them home and away in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.