THE locals will tell you that Plovdiv is the oldest city in Europe.
The historians say more evidence is needed to establish there were people living here before the Greek settlements of Argos and Athens.
Heimir Hallgrímsson could do with unearthing some proof that he is building a team which can withstand scrutiny.
Otherwise, his reign will be lying in ruins, much like the Roman imprint on Bulgaria’s second largest city after the capital Sofia.
The passing of time may mean that memories of the 5-0 loss to England are receding into the background but it will not take long for them to be evoked again.
It helps to explain in part why Hallgrímsson does not subscribe to the theory that relegation in the Nations League might be no bad thing.
That school of thought highlights that it would provide better opportunities for favourable results and, potentially, qualification for Euro 2028, although that should come automatically as tournament co-hosts.
But, for Hallgrímsson, whose only positive results to date have come against Finland, he could do without his side acquiring the reputation of being one on the slide.
Hallgrímsson said: “Does it matter? My thoughts are, we need to play good opponents day in and day out to develop as a team.
“That’s why group B is important for us, there are differing views on it and I respect that, but I think it’s really important to stay in group B and play higher ranked opponents.
“Experiment? Yes, we have players who don’t have caps and we’d like to see them in action, we called in players we feel are ready to play, that’s why we bring them in.
“It’s also a time to give players a chance, but it’s not like we will lose anything or risk anything in this game, as a group we like to stay in group B and compete with better teams.”
The three uncapped players are QPR’s Jimmy Dunne and Watford duo James Abankwah – on loan from Udinese – and Rocco Vata.
His long chat with Vata before yesterday’s training session at the Hristo Botev Stadium may prove significant and he again spoke positively about the former Celtic player who, at 19, is the youngest player in the squad.
He said: “The kid has something. Like I’ve said before, he can show up and do something that you look at and go, ‘wow’. That’s this kid. He can be a match-winner for us in the future.”
But the previously ever-present Sammie Szmodics injured, as are Chiedozie Ogbene and Festy Ebosele, that future could be as soon as this evening.
Dunne and Abankwah are, along with Jake O’Brien, who has yet to start a competitive game for Ireland, vying for inclusion in a defence which is likely to be a back four.
Whilst Dunne and O’Brien are natural centre-halves, both have been playing at right-back for their respective clubs, QPR and Everton. Hallgrímsson did not discount following suit with one of them.
He said: “We can have a centre-back playing in another position. We have height and really good aerial strength in our team.”
The composition of the attack is another issue with the out-of-sorts Evan Ferguson potentially competing with his immediate predecessor as Ireland’s great white hope Troy Parrott, who is in fine form.
Alternatively, he could pair them together although that is something he has done just once before, against Greece in Piraeus.
Hallgrímsson said: “Personnel is not the issue here, it’s can we play with two strikers or a striker or a ten
“That’s just it. We can switch betweenor within games. Who plays with whom, I think everybody in the squad can play with each other.
“I’ve seen most of the games in Europe, what is good with Troy now, he’s match fit, he’s playing 80 plus minutes every game now, two games a week.
“It’s been impressive. I think he’s growing like his coach says. I think his confidence has grown as well.”
Whatever the formation, there will presumably be room found for Robbie Brady, who missed the November matches through injury.
In October, he had both provided the assist for Liam Scales’ equaliser and then scored the winner against Finland in Helsinki.
Hallgrímsson said: “Firstly, just his presence is, number one, very important. He has experience to share.
“He’s very good at defending and going forward. He’s important in set-pieces, deliveries are really good and his left foot is crazy good with crosses.
“But for me it’s his experience and sharing that with the players. At half-time he keeps players cool etc.
“He has a lot of attributes. Since I came, he’s probably been our most consistent player. I’m really happy with him.”
He has also produced against Bulgaria before, providing the cross for Shane Duffy to score an injury-time goal to ensure Stephen Kenny’s first game in charge, in September 2020, did not end in defeat.
With a second leg to come on Sunday, Hallgrímsson might settle for that now but, having drawn their last four competitive meetings with Bulgaria, a win in either Plovdiv or Dublin would provide a much-needed boost.
Now in the job for eight months, he has had ample time to assess his options and make his imprint on the team.
The use of Nathan Collins in midfield against England was, for the first half, a shrewd tactical move which drew much praise before his team capitulated following the dismissal of Scales.
BOUNCEBACKABILITY
His side needs to show a resilience which was embarrassingly absent in Wembley whilst displaying a cutting edge to break down a Bulgaria side who, although they lost 5-0 to Northern Ireland in Belfast, conceded just one goal in their five other Nations League matches.
Hallgrímsson said: “Patience is maybe not the correct word but it is going to be a hard team to break down, that’s for sure. All our analysis points to the same thing.
“They always control the game, even without the ball, they are pretty good at controlling the game, electric going forward, with individual skills and counter-attacking so our defence as well will be really important.
“This is now their chance to show themselves to cement themselves in the team.
“There is a World Cup coming up, so games are getting fewer and fewer until we start this important campaign so it is the time now to show themselves doing well for the national team and cement their place in the team.
“Everybody wants to play and it’s good to have a chance to look at players, and now we have two really good games in the summer to look at players.
“And we will always be doing that even though a starting eleven is emerging in our heads.”
Ireland (possible): Kelleher (Liverpool); O’Shea (Ipswich), O’Brien (Everton), Collins (Brentford), Brady (Preston North End); Doherty (Wolves), Cullen (Burnley), Knight (Bristol City), Johnston (West Brom); Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Ferguson (West Ham, on loan from Brighton).
