Hourihane happy to embrace Kenny’s more expansive game plan

Conor Hourihane has had to work a little harder and wait a little longer for just about everything that has come his way in football.

But the day after the draw in Bulgaria he sounds as though Stephen Kenny's vision for Ireland is his latest reward for all of that patience and effort.

The 29-year-old believes the new manager’s style will suit his own rather nicely but more importantly, he suggests, the speed with which the group as a whole has started to adapt is a pretty strong indication of just how much can be achieved over the course of what could be a very busy year.

The brand of football Ireland are now supposed to play requires the manager to have faith in the players but once he does that then they are effectively encouraged to have more belief in themselves.

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There were certainly glitches as Ireland tried to implement the game plan on Thursday night but evidence too that the squad is embracing the new approach.

"If you look at that team in Sofia everyone bar Callum O'Dowda has played in the Premier League, the best league in the world," says Hourihane, "so there is quality in the squad without a doubt.

“This manager believes there is quality in the squad so I think he probably feels the best way forward is to pass the ball because a lot of us do it at club level. It’s been brilliant so far and hopefully we can take it into the games coming up.

“Over the last three or four days and already last night, people can see a bit more about what we’re doing. The more time we’re together and the more we play, the more that will become the new normal. We have to do what the manager wants and we have to improve but we all want to improve. We’re heading in the right direction.”

Finished article

The Aston Villa midfielder holds his hands up with regard to the mistake he made for the opening goal and readily acknowledges that Ireland are quite some way off being the finished article. But the intention, he feels, is to play to what are underappreciated strengths, something that will pay off in the long term.

“Yeah, afterwards in the dressing room I was disappointed with myself because I felt like it was a sloppy ball, a needless pass I suppose. We’ve spoken about it, I had my hand up in the dressing room afterwards, so did a couple of the defenders.

“I think it was a sloppy one from myself and then I suppose later on in the move, after I gave the ball away, I think the lads, Shane and John, probably felt disappointed themselves with what happened after that. I think it was a bit of a mixed bag from everyone really.

“Over the last three or four days, though, the manager has come in and we’ve gone a different way about our business. Last night we showed we were capable of going that way and we are all enjoying it and taking it in our stride.”