"If you don't think we're going in the right direction you are writing the wrong stuff," Shane Duffy gently suggested after the Republic of Ireland players refused to celebrate a scoreless draw against a cautious Portugal, clearly intent on avoiding disaster before Serbia's visit to Lisbon on Sunday to sort out who qualifies automatically for Qatar 2022.
“We are not ecstatic. There was no music in the dressingroom.”
The music can be blared after Sunday's last game of a failed yet encouraging World Cup qualifying campaign that saw a remarkable 16 players handed debuts by Stephen Kenny.
“I love . . . I think Stephen is brilliant,” said Duffy when asked whether the manager should be allowed to continue managing this team – a question that sounds increasingly ridiculous as Group A concludes.
"I felt we started a little bit nervously," Kenny observed, visibly more comfortable than the aftermath of defeat to Luxembourg last March. "Halfway through the first half we picked it up. Chiedozie Ogbene and Callum Robinson were very influential. Second half I thought we were the better team.
"The players are rightly disappointed to have a legitimate goal ruled out," said Kenny of Matt Doherty's injury-time finish being disallowed by referee Jesús Gil Manzano, who deemed that Wigan striker Will Keane had fouled Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício in the build-up. "Will clearly stands his ground. The goalkeeper is the proactive one. Any barging that is being done is by him. It looked like a clear goal.
“It’s not an elated dressingroom but that draw does mean we can go to Luxembourg knowing that a win means we finish ahead of them in third place.”
Ireland has a seven-goal advantage over Luxembourg and currently lie three points behind them.
“I thought the back three were absolutely excellent,” Kenny added. “Callum got man of the match but I would have given it to Shane Duffy. It was the best I have ever seen him. Séamus Coleman defended really, really well because there was an aerial threat there.
"In my opinion John Egan should be playing in the Champions League. I think he is good enough."
“I think we are improving as a team overall but we can still improve. The two most expensive goals we have conceded at home were long-range efforts.”
The Luxembourg and Azerbaijan strikes, in a near silent Aviva stadium, is what destroyed any hope of featuring in the first winter World Cup but that does not occupy the collective mindset anymore.
“We passed the ball very well, kept our composure and are disappointed not to win.”
