Dunne’s view is that Ireland should study underdog national teams that have reached major tournaments by making defensive organisation their identity. A compact block, aggressive work without the ball and quick counter-attacks may offer a more realistic route than trying to replicate the possession football of Spain or England.
That does not mean abandoning ambition. It means choosing a style that suits the players available and the demands of international football, where preparation time is limited and margins are narrow.
The biggest concern remains Ireland’s difficulty against opponents willing to sit back. As Dunne puts it: “É difícil para nós furar defesas, mas, quando enfrentamos seleções maiores, defendemos muito bem e contra-atacamos. Acho que temos de tirar essa lição do que as seleções menores fizeram na Copa do Mundo”.
That is the central challenge for Hallgrímsson. A defensive identity can make Ireland awkward to face, but qualification campaigns are also decided by matches in which Ireland must take responsibility, control possession and break down a packed defence.
Dunne’s assessment is not pessimistic. He reportedly sees signs that Ireland are no longer entering decisive group matches simply hoping to survive. The team appears to have regained belief against higher-ranked opposition, even if consistency remains a concern.
“I think there is optimism for the next campaigns,” Dunne says in the report, adding: “We have to be positive and believe that we can compete.”
The next qualifying campaign will test whether that optimism can become a repeatable formula: defend with discipline, counter with purpose, and find a more convincing answer when Ireland are expected to dominate.