So wretched have Ireland’s starts been to recent competitive campaigns that a 1-1 draw ought to be construed as victory.
Optimism, whether or not it’s blind, accompanies the beginning of every series of qualifiers. Never mind Ireland haven’t won a match. They haven’t lost either.
All four of the last four campaigns, including two Nations League groups, began with back-to-back defeats.
Much has been made about the sprint element of this version – six matches over 70 days – but the presence of Gibraltar in the Euro tilt meant too that Stephen Kenny had only six matches of substance.
He lost all six and a repeat of that form will leave the pragmatic Heimir Hallgrímsson not waiting for an answer on a potential contract extension.
That scenario, particularly with Armenia in the pool, constitutes Armageddon. It’s also at odds with the general state of the team he’s overseen for the last 15 months and 10 games.
Essentially, he’s middling. Four wins, four defeats and two draws, the latter in the summer friendlies.
That’s tantamount to progress in any person’s language, especially given he dispensed with lower seeds Finland and Bulgaria in the Nations League.
Evidence of solidity, on and off the pitch, is apparent. Hallgrímsson didn’t launch himself into the job like a bull, leaning on the continuity of John O’Shea and Paddy McCarthy for the games against England and Greece 12 months ago.
His time at the helm could transpire to be relatively brief but that was the time for him to survey the props without cracking the whip.
Soon, he was certainly the gaffer but the demeanour has been consistent. A full week’s build-up to a first World Cup qualifier in three-and-a-half years presents a window for the nation to fantasise about transatlantic trips next summer, yet he’s been the personification of zen.
“For us coaching staff, it would be my feeling that our job is more about calming players down on matchday,” he reasoned on the eve of the match.
“I think the energy from the crowd and the importance of the game, some players would get over-ambitious.
“So it is probably our job to calm them down and make them think about the tactical things and focus, rather than being over-ambitious and opening spaces or getting an unnecessary yellow card.” It’s quite a contrast from his predecessor, who seemed more wound-up as players around occasions.
McCarthy delivering a clear, concise and cogent argument for confidence on Wednesday complements the manager’s outlook.
Talk is cheap but there have been spells, notably when leading against Senegal in June, when Ireland have illustrated their ability to enact a gameplan against superior opposition.
Those players, too, are talking and acting with the poise necessary to confront the challenges between tonight and the rematch against the Magyars in Budapest on November 16.
“It has just been a complete build-up of everything,” says Nathan Collins. “Creating relationships with the coaching staff, the physio and the manager, everything feels a bit more connected and gelled right now than it was at the start. That’s the biggest takeaway for me.” He acknowledged the feats his manager accomplished at Iceland and Jamaica, taking both to major finals.
“A massive thing is his experience from what he’s done and where he’s been previously with other teams,” he added.
“I’ve played with players that have had him as manager before and talking to them and they say it’s a simple man to get behind because his idea is, that he makes everything as easy as possible for us players to learn about and to get behind.
“I think that’s something that’s helped the group get to where we are now.” McCarthy’s proclamation of the team being on the cusp of something special definitely caught the wider population’s attention, something Collins provided a measured take on.
“It’s hard to say we feel that way,” he said.
“Creating something special is a very specific term. I’ve said before that we’re ready to do something, we want to win and we all think the same, to take the next step. Something special is very specific. Winning Saturday would get us off to a good start.”
Therein rests the immediate task amidst the talk of featuring at the expanded 48-nation showpiece next summer.
Collins, at 24, and his peers were classified as a golden generation by Kenny, a plethora of graduates from his U21 team of 2019.
Some, like himself, Dara O’Shea and Caoimhín Kelleher, endured the pace but others such as Aaron Connolly and Conor Coventry, didn’t.
One who emerged from that era to be among Europe’s elite is Dominik Szoboszlai. He and his Liverpool teammate Milos Kerkez are the players Ireland must shackle to avoid a defeat that would exhale the air from a week of positive sentiments.
With the Iceman in charge, they won’t have to worry about freezing on the big stage.
