Republic of Ireland midfielder Will Smallbone believes the squad must fully embrace their manager's belief that World Cup qualification is possible. The Southampton man shared his thoughts ahead of Ireland's final warm-up match before their crucial September clash with Hungary.
Ireland's recent performances haven't given fans much to cheer about. But new boss Heimir Hallgrimsson is preparing for his first proper campaign with six matches packed into just 10 weeks.
The Boys in Green face Hungary, Armenia, and newly-crowned Nations League champions Portugal in their group. Despite being considered underdogs to top the group or even secure a play-off spot, there's a feeling of cautious optimism brewing.
Building a Winning Mentality
"I think we need to believe we can be there," Smallbone told RTÉ Sport. "We've shown steady progression over the last few camps and even against Senegal, I think it was a good performance from us against a top nation."
The midfielder, who now has 12 caps for Ireland, emphasized that results matter more than performances right now. "Winning is what's going to get us to the World Cup. We need to have winning become a habit."
For bettors looking at Ireland's qualification chances, this developing winning mentality could be worth monitoring. The team's performances against Luxembourg and in their opening qualifiers will be telling signs of their true potential in this group.
Smallbone played in a more defensive role against Senegal, despite Hallgrimsson previously suggesting he sees him in a more advanced position. The versatile midfielder doesn't seem bothered by this tactical flexibility.
"Maybe I did end up in more of a defensive role on Friday, but I'm just happy to do whatever," he explained. "We play with two almost old-school midfielders with a license for one of us to get forward and join the attacking play."
Increased Competition in Midfield
The Irish midfield is evolving with promising talents like Bosun Lawal, Killian Phillips, and Jack Taylor making inroads during this camp. Smallbone welcomes this competition for places.
After missing several camps due to injury, Smallbone has noticed significant improvements in the squad. "I could see a real progression in the team strength and the way the team's going. Being harder to beat is one of the main differences."
He also highlighted the squad's maturing profile as a positive factor. "We've got a lot of the squad maybe coming into their mid to late 20s. That's a good age to really take ownership of these games."
For Ireland to have any chance of qualifying for their first World Cup since 2002, they'll need to hit the ground running against Hungary in September. The match against Luxembourg serves as a final opportunity to build confidence before the real tests begin.
Bettors should pay close attention to how Ireland performs defensively in these upcoming fixtures. Smallbone specifically mentioned becoming "harder to beat" as a key improvement under Hallgrimsson, which could make under bets and tight scorelines more attractive propositions when Ireland faces stronger opposition.
