Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr today delivered a stark warning to his players: "Forget pretty, just perform."
Kerr is unconcerned at the prospect that the beautiful game may find itself
blemished in tomorrow's World Cup qualifier as his side face a physical, uncompromising team in the Faroe Islands, and on a bumpy pitch more akin to the local recreation ground.
Put quite simply, Kerr wants his team to do the job , which in this instance means coming away with three points from a match he feels carries all the hallmarks of an FA Cup tie where a lower-league underdog eager to cause a major upset hosts a big name ripe for a fall.
All the ingredients are there, notably with Ireland coming off the back of Saturday's frustrating draw with Israel when they let two points slip through their grasp in throwing away a two-goal lead at Lansdowne Road.
Tomorrow, they face the hard-working minnows of the Faroes who are on a run of 15 competitive matches without a win but whose spirit and enthusiasm after today's training session at the Torsvollur stadium where even Faroes boss Henrik Larsen refused to work yesterday because of the nature of the pitch, Kerr commented: "We knew what to expect.
"It's not much worse than Lansdowne Road on the night we played China in a friendly a couple of months ago. It's a bit tight, short and bumpy.
"The thing is, it's different here to any other venue in European football but then we have good, experienced players, many of whom have scrapped with lower level clubs and come up through the leagues.
"A lot of the players have also played in the schoolboy leagues in Ireland and scrapped on rough pitches and on windy, rainy days, so it's not too different from what they have seen before, although it's different from what they now face every week.
"Their players also play a physical, direct game, but that's their way. They make the best use of the attributes they have and of the set pieces when they can.
"But that's for them to use their resources. We have to use the best that we have, and individually we've better, more skilful players and we have to impose ourselves on the game.
"So irrespective of the pitch or type of match it may be, we have to perform. Every player has to work hard and scrap for every ball."
Of concern to Kerr, though, is that he has six players on yellow cards going into the game - captain Kenny Cunningham, Damien Duff, Clinton Morrison, AndyReid, John O'Shea and Kevin Kilbane.
With France next up for Ireland in September, Kerr can ill-afford to lose any of those big-name players, just as he was without Roy Keane and Stephen Carr against Israel, and as he is without Andy O'Brien for this game following his unjust dismissal on Saturday.
"I think it's something the players have to be aware of," insisted Kerr.
"Of course, we don't want to lose players through suspension, so it is an issue, but it is an issue for every team in the group.
"Obviously, with France next, that is one aspect for us. But we should just try not to have any more yellow cards, so then we won't have any suspended for the remainder of this campaign."
With all-time leading scorer Robbie Keane out with a shoulder injury, Kerr's problems could increase if Morrison fails to shake off a lower-back problem sustained late in training.
Kerr insisted Morrison will be all right , but if the Birmingham striker is not, he is left with few options in attack, either winger Duff, utility player Gary Doherty or the inexperienced Stephen Elliott, who has yet to play in a competitive game.
Midfielder Roy Keane is a definite starter as he returns from his ban, although Kerr refused to confirm right-back Carr is in the line up, although that would seem the logical choice, with O'Shea partnering Cunningham in the centre of defence.
