POSSESSION'S NINE-TENTHS OF THE FLAW

Cascarino berates the modern keep-ball philosophy favoured by Kenny and sees hope under Hallgrimsson's direct approach

- BY PAUL O'HEHIR

TONY CASCARINO believes the Ireland players have been liberated since the 'style over substance' debates were shelved.

Former Ireland boss Stephen Kenny made no apologies for trying to implement a possession-based, attacking game under his watch.

Kenny baulked at suggestions that Irish teams could only play a direct game and wanted to reinvent how the national team was viewed at home and abroad.

But while he blooded over 20 players in the process, the results suffered with just six competitive wins banked in his three years in charge.

And in that time, the post-match debate raged in the stands, pubs, newspapers, TV and radio as to whether it really was the way forward.

Former Ireland striker Cascarino believes that stifled players and he reckons that Heimir Hallgrimsson's more pragmatic approach can now reap bigger rewards.

Ahead of tomorrow's Senegal clash, he said: "It feels like there's a glimmer of hope and that something is happening.

"I was very critical of Stephen Kenny - not him personally, just I thought he came with a flawed idea to outplay teams.

"That's great if you have the best technical players but it's like telling a boxer to go into the ring against a really big hitter and say, 'Just knock him out'.

"It's not like that and, in sport, you have to win in different ways. We played a game that was flawed because technically we were so behind the teams we were playing."

Cascarino continued: "We need a style that affects, hurts and makes a difference. We have to play with purpose and get into positions to hurt the opposition.