Finn Azaz has no intention of dressing it up. There will be no excuses tossed out to explain away what happened in Armenia, only a desire that what happens now on Saturday in Portugal can revive Ireland’s faltering World Cup qualification campaign.
Azaz played 70 minutes in Yerevan last month as Ireland shipped a 2-1 defeat in a qualifier billed as must win, or at the very least must not lose. Because of that result Ireland’s qualification hopes are already perched on a cliff edge after two games.
“We all know that we’ve let people down, let ourselves down,” says Azaz.
“Now it’s just a case of looking towards the next two games to put it right and that’s the feeling right now, there is an anger there to put things right. We know it wasn’t good enough and we’re feeling we can really make a statement and put it right.”
RM Block
To make a statement on Saturday in Lisbon, Ireland would have to defy the odds and avoid defeat to table-toppers Portugal. The sides met last in June 2024 when Portugal eased to a 3-0 home victory in what was an international friendly fixture.
Roberto Martínez has watched his team open this qualifying campaign with back-to-back victories, 5-0 v Armenia and 3-2 v Hungary.
The fallout from Ireland’s loss to Armenia might yet have longer term ramifications for the Irish management team but this international window might provide the group with perhaps one last shot at redemption.
“It really hurt us and me personally, feeling that we’ve let a lot of people down, the fans, the staff and ourselves really,” adds Azaz.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a pressure, I’d say there is real motivation now to put it right.
“It hasn’t been hard for me to say that, I just think it’s the truth and it’s an honest reflection of how I feel, and the vibe I’m getting from the rest of the team as well is that there is that feeling of just that hurt.”
The 25-year-old creative midfielder feels there is one area in particular where Ireland can improve.
How many Ireland jerseys are up for grabs ahead of the Autumn Nations Series?
“I think stopping lapses of concentration in key moments and managing the games,” he says.
“The mistakes at certain times have cost us against Hungary and against Armenia. So definitely eliminating those and making sure the concentration is there, without those mistakes I think we’d give ourselves a really good chance. I think we have a lot of quality in the squad.”
Azaz is not one to offer up anodyne responses, he pauses after each question before offering a considered response.
However, one issue he declined to comment upon during his press conference in Abbotstown this week were his views on whether Israel should be banned from international football. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson last week offered the opinion that should indeed be the course of action taken by Fifa and Uefa.
The English-born Azaz has Israeli heritage on his mother’s side of the family and was eligible to play for that country but he opted for Ireland instead, making his senior debut against Switzerland in March, 2024.
Azaz has now made nine appearances for Ireland and started both recent World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia.
“The wins against Bulgaria, the improved performances and results leading up to the [Armenia] game, maybe there was a lack of understanding of the challenge we were coming up against away to Armenia in terms of the occasion, the environment and in terms of them as players we weren’t at our levels,” he adds.
“We as players, we need to take responsibility. Ahead of the two games, the training, the set-up, everything was there for us, to be honest. We need to take responsibility and put it right, and kind of make sure it’s right for the next two games.”
The mood-music after the 2-1 loss in Armenia was fairly downbeat but Azaz has not given up hope of qualifying for the World Cup.
“With that draw against Hungary there’s still a great chance and there’s that anger and that motivation to start with Saturday and then look to the next game.
“With that added energy of losing that last game – we all know we shouldn’t be losing that game – so there’ll definitely be an added edge to make it right.”
Azaz moved from Middlesbrough to fellow Championship outfit Southampton in August and has made six appearances for the Saints so far.
The challenge of facing Ronaldo’s Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday is not something he sees as daunting.
“For me these are the best opportunities to show and showcase that you can compete with those players. I’m motivated to show that I can compete with them.”
