Republic of Ireland midfielder Will Smallbone admits that he was "embarrassed" to win Man of the Match award following his side's 2-0 defeat to Greece.
Ireland have now lost two games, conceded two goals in both matches, and failed to score at the other end, in their Nations League openers.
Heimir Hallgrímsson's reign as manager has got off to a very poor start, and a squad that was already shaken, looks to have hit rock bottom in terms of their confidence.
Boos echoed through the Aviva Stadium as Ireland fans let their feelings be known, that this simply isn't good enough and that things need to change.
Smallbone collected the Man of the Match award, but just like the fans, he was in no mood to celebrate and was clearly very disappointed with the team's performance.
I’m probably as embarrassed as anyone, receiving a man of the match award when we’ve lost a game. I’m not sure why it’s done, but it is and I can’t control it.
"It’s not my decision. But we understand the fans’ reaction and we are working as hard as we can to turn it around, and I believe we will,” Smallbone said.
"I don’t need to tell them to stick with us because they give us unwavering support every time we turn up to the Aviva. And in the away games they are always loud, they are singing, they are fully supporting us.
"It hurts us every time that we can’t give them a result and something back for their unwavering support to us. But I believe that we will in the near future."
Will Smallbone is the Irish player of the match after his side slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Greece. "We know ourselves that we need to be better. We've only been with this manager for only a week, we'll be back very shortly for the games in October and we'll give it our all." pic.twitter.com/0mJOiL6Do2
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 10, 2024
The game was 0-0 at the break, and you could argue that Ireland were in a good position at that time, but once again, they conceded early in the second half from a goal that was scored from distance.
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“I think whenever we concede a goal, when you look at it and break it down, there is always something that you can do better. Obviously the first goal today, I haven’t seen it back but it looked like a really good finish.
"But from our point of view he has had time to turn and take a touch and then finish. I’d be disappointed that we haven’t gotten out to block the shot,” he added.
"We changed shape from the England game to allow us to get players further up the field and more attacking players in midfield. Especially in the first half and the chances, that’s where we need to be as a team, more clinical and more ruthless; when we get the chances, that we put them away essentially.
"On the flip side, when we come up against teams, that seems to be their real strength, when they get one half-chance it’s a goal and then it’s a completely different game.
"It’s disappointing to go in at half-time 0-0, feeling that we were on top. We spoke at half-time about coming out for the second-half and essentially doing the same. I think we started okay, but then from our point of view the goal was not a good goal.
"The guy has had time and space to turn and pick his shot. It’s obviously a good finish, but that’s a real sucker punch for us after a positive first-half.
"I think overall, the week, we’ve only been with the manager a week and he’s got new ideas. We all want results to turn around as quickly as possible, but I think especially the first-half was a positive.”
The fact that it is so early into Hallgrímsson's tenure as Ireland manager is the only positive that fans can hold onto, and hopefully a part of these poor performances are down to a lack of time in adjusting to change.
However, time is one privilege that football managers are seldom afforded, so things would need to get better very quickly for the new boss.
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