It was a fierce match, but our team worked well together despite the huge pressure we are under right now.
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“It’s like a cup final for us”.
However, if Ireland are to prosper as they did in New Jersey 22 years ago, they will have to take greater care of the ball than they did against Belgium at the weekend, when they surrendered possession all too readily.
“You need to be balanced when judging a team negatively or positively”, he said.
It was the feeling of being on the losing side last weekend which hurt, and still hurts, Hoolahan and his Ireland team-mates.
Ranked no. 2 in the world by Federation Internationale de Football Association and backed by many to go on and win the tournament, Marc Wilmots’ side flattered to deceive in its opener against Italy, putting in a limp display on its way to a 2-0 defeat.
Was it a case of Ireland just taking their beating on Saturday from a better side?
“We had a few plaudits after the first game but we said after that game we have to move on quickly and you’ve got to try and be in the same mindset after a defeat”.
“We don’t boast an [Eden] Hazard – and I mention him as he was the first we came across – or [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic”.
“I suppose we had this conversation the other day about Belgium”.
Toby Alderweireld (7 out of 10) – The centre-half has become one of the best defenders for Belgium, and the world, and managed to read the game well.
“We know the type of lad Jon is and if there’s any chance he thinks he can get through it, he’ll have a go”. One man who was missed and could return against Italy, is Jonathan Walters.
“You have got to be streetwise in this game”, noted the former Manchester United captain.
A draw for Belgium in their last group outing against Sweden in Nice on Wednesday will secure progress to the last 16.
“We need to see that against Italy”.
Yet Hoolahan feels that the side has already shown in the qualifying campaign how to recover.
Ireland went on the attack in an attempt to claw back the arrears, but the team was once again caught out by a pacey Belgian counterattack. We can’t wait for the game on Wednesday. “The way we responded was good and we really deserved this victory”. “And we are looking forward to the Italian game”.
Ireland coach Martin O’Neill looks on before the Euro 2016 Group E soccer match between Belgium and Ireland at the Nouveau Stade in Bordeaux, France, Saturday, June 18, 2016. That heaps the burden onto the shoulders of potential match-winners like Hoolahan to, well, win the match.
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“He has a twisted ankle but how long he will be out I can’t say”.
