IRELAND’S head is on the relegation chopping block on Thursday night – but Nathan Collins is okay putting his on a swivel to get a result.
The Boys in Green face Bulgaria in Plovdiv this evening in the first leg of the Nations League promotion-relegation play-off.
And it could see skipper Collins again employed in midfield rather than his more familiar position at centre half.
He did so last time out as Ireland were mauled 5-0 by England at Wembley.
Yet, despite the scoreline, the experiment worked pretty well, with the game scoreless at half time before Liam Scales was sent off conceding the penalty for England’s opener.
Brentford defender Collins said: “I probably watch back every game of mine, it was two different halves.
“The first half was a new role, we were in control of what we wanted to do, the way we set up we were in control, the problems we caused England were what we wanted to cause them.
“I was fortunate to have two good lads there beside me in Jay (Jayson Molumby) and Josh (Cullen) helping me out and talking to me.
“The lads behind me talking as well, what we worked on and that we wanted to do to cause problems to them. I was happy with my performance in the first half.”
Still he admitted that the role took a lot of adapting on the day as he explained his role in detail.
He said: “There’s a lot more going on really. Usually when I’m a defender, it’s mostly in front of me but, now in that position a lot is behind you.
“There’s runners behind you, there are players there, so my head is constantly in the swivel, checking where everybody is, trying to ensure they’re in the right position.
“The game feels quicker in there and the ball moves quicker whereas at centre-back because it’s in front of you, it moves a bit slower.
“You must move up and down the pitch, to organise when we’re attacking and defending.
“With the role we created, I had to pick the right time to drop back in to defend but also stay up and impose that press as well.
“It’s not it’s something new, it was a challenge I was looking forward to, believing I could help the lads in that role.
“But, again, it was an exciting challenge, and if he needs me to play there again I’d be happy to play there again if the manager wants.”
Boss Heimir Hallgrímsson has admitted it is a possibility in future with Collins 6ft 4in frame giving Ireland a greater physical presence in the engine room.
For those of a certain age, it also brings back memories of when Paul McGrath – one of the world’s best defenders – moonlighted as one of the best midfielders.
But Collins – who was born in 2001 – admitted that he does not remember his Dad Dave ever talking to him about McGrath’s adaptability when he was younger.
He said: “I obviously heard a lot and the song and everything. We all know how good he was. If I can get to his level, it would be great. But I’ll try to do it my own way.”
Still it was his father, who had a spell in England with Liverpool and Oxford United, who remains the only manager to use him regularly in midfield.
That was when Collins was a young teenager making his way at schoolboy club Cherry Orchard.
But it is not just Hallgrímsson who has seen the potential for the switch as Michael O’Neill used him in midfield briefly at Stoke, and Stephen Kenny did consider it with Ireland.
Kenny previously joked: “His dad was the manager and he could play where he wanted!
“I know the Paul McGrath comparison and so forth but I can’t say it hasn’t entered my mind that he could do that at some stage. He’s never played there at (senior) club level.”
Collins admitted that few have ever suggested it either.
He said: “They didn’t think I was good enough!
“I think I did a little bit at Stoke under Michael O’Neill, but not much. He obviously moved me back when he decided I wasn’t good enough!”
Whether Collins plays in defence or midfield this evening, he is confident that the Ireland team can quickly put the Wembley experience behind them.
And he reckons that a high-pressure tie – with a second leg to come in Dublin on Sunday – is the perfect game to refocus.
Collins declared: “It’s a good game for us, we are ready to go again, it hurt a lot and it wasn’t a nice feeling.
“It was tough as we all had to leave after and we hadn’t seen each other since, so it’s a game we want to bounce back from, we want that confidence back.
“It’s just two games of football that we look forward to and want to get on with.
“Two tough challenges, two completely different games, one obviously away from home and one at home, so it will be two different challenges.
“So we’re just looking forward and excited for it.”
