Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has no intention of ripping up the playbook ahead of his side's opening World Cup qualifier in Serbia on Wednesday night.
Despite three taxing months in charge of an ever-changing team that yielded little, managing just one goal in eight games while losing five times and missing out on Euro qualification, the Ireland manager is sticking to his guns.
Ireland open their World Cup campaign with a tricky and testing encounter away in Belgrade against a talented second seed Serbia, and in order to take something tangible from the group opener, the manager might be forgiven for taking a more tried and tested approach.
A template, of sorts, has been created in international football, which essentially levels the playing field, and one that has been adapted by successive Irish managers since the arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni in 2008.
The gulf between the smaller nations and the superpowers has narrowed, with teams setting up defensively to keep things tight, and Ireland have had the benefit of then adding their famed team spirit and the general sprinkling of top talent to spring the odd surprise.
Beating the World Cup holders Germany in Dublin, drawing away in Moscow, winning in Vienna, taking valuable points on the road in Cardiff, play-off performances in Bosnia; they have all contributed to Ireland qualifying for two European Championships over the past decade and reaching the World Cup play-offs for the 2010 and 2018 tournaments.
Substance over style, it had to be said, with some of the country’s most gifted players often playing no more than a cameo role throughout successive tenures.
Kenny came to combat the concept that Ireland did not have the players, and those that were available were not able to play with an attractive attacking style. And truth be told, there has not been too much evidence presented that the current crop can actually win the right way.
Despite impressive performances, and spells of dominance in all of Kenny’s eight games in charge – even a brief period at Wembley, when Ireland had England on the back foot – the results have not been forthcoming.
From the manager’s perspective, the only result that really mattered thus far, was the Euro exit to Slovakia, and in that match Ireland gave a real glimpse of what the future might hold under Kenny’s leadership as the team were cruelly undone by the dreaded penalty shootout.
The Ireland squad have been spared the Covid crisis that has accompanied the last two international windows, however, some key injuries and players lacking match fitness means that Kenny has to plan a major reshuffle going into the game.
With no goals in seven and a real aspiration to walk away from Serbia with something to show, the manager would be forgiven for taking a leaf out of Martin O’Neill or Trapattoni’s playbook.
"You can’t on one hand give instruction and then just, all of a sudden, rip everything up and just say we’re going to defend well with a low block and just knock it into the channel," said Kenny, when asked if there was an argument for being a little more defensive and a bit more direct against Serbia.
"Defensive and direct, they are sort of two separate issues," said Kenny.
"A bit more defensive, does that mean in a low block, playing players in their own half and getting a lot of bodies behind the ball?
"Direct. Does that mean in possession, don’t pass it, just [play it] into channels?
"So I think the answer to that is a clear no on both fronts."
Music to the ears for the many who have been calling for Ireland to show more belief in their players and the system, while the growing number of critics will be sharpening their pencils ahead of full-time on Wednesday night, perhaps yearning for a negative outcome.
But Kenny was also quick to assert the importance of a good defensive system against a team like Serbia, who he believes have an abundance of talent in their ranks.
"Having said that, I do respect Serbia," said Kenny. "I realise they have a lot of very good attacking players and a lot of talent and we will have to be cognisant of that and we’ll have to defend well.
"There’s nothing wrong with good defending. It’s important that we defend well because they have got players who could punish you."
Looking ahead to the game, the manager said that he is very clear about how he wants his side to approach the game and added that his instructions would be clear and comprehendible.
And once again, he emphasised that his side would not be set up in a defensive manner, but rather would be looking to secure a victory to begin the short campaign, knowing the importance of a good start in the group.
And Kenny believes that the injection of new players into his squad will prove to be beneficial as he looks to mix youth and experience throughout this World Cup qualifying campaign.
"It’s a radical change, really, with 13 new players coming through the system within a few months. So there is that fusion of enthusiasm and talent," said Kenny.
"Our ambition is to win the game, like any other game, we’re not setting the team up in defensive mode.
"Overall, the team has experience in key positions, there is a lot of talent within the group and I’m hoping that we can create a performance to get the result that we need."
Injuries dictate that Kenny has no other option but to play an inexperienced goalkeeper in Belgrade and he has opted for Bournemouth's Mark Travers (pictured above), while the manager has no issue with Shane Duffy playing, despite his apparent lack of form since moving to Celtic from Brighton.
"Shane has sort of been dissected at the moment, and the microscope is on him in relation to every aspect of his performances.
"You mustn't forget the terrific form he had for Brighton in the Premier League for a number of years and for Ireland. He was named twice International Player of the Year, so that kind of form doesn't leave you overnight.
"Mark Travers has been in the squad, has contributed to the international team, has played, albeit only one and a half games with Ireland before.
"He’s a very calm individual. His performance against Tottenham on his Bournemouth debut was quite exceptional going back a couple of years. I know he’s only had intermittent opportunities since then, he hasn’t had a real run of consecutive games at his club.
"He has a great future. He’s only 21 but he has the characteristics to be a really good goalkeeper and hopefully he can do well."
Kenny also addressed the attacking unit as his side go in search of a precious goal, which would surely boost the team’s confidence following seven straight games without hitting the back of the net.
The manager is weighing up his options as to what style of player is asked to lead the line, whether tasking target man James Collins to play a traditional centre-forward's role, opting for the experience of someone like Shane Long, or perhaps looking to the speed and agility of a busy frontman like Aaron Connolly.
But the vital component, whoever gets the pick, is that they fit into the overall game-plan and that the team is well balanced.
And when it comes to hitting the back of the net, the manager said that there is no better place to start than when the team take to the pitch at the iconic Rajko Mitic stadium, where the feeling of hitting the back of the net inside the arena will trigger positive thoughts.
"We have options, and different types of players and characteristics of strikers, so we have to get the balance right with our attacking play regardless who plays there," said Kenny.
"When you train at the stadium, you get the chance to hit the back of the net, it becomes real.
"Aaron Connolly and Callum Robinson have not played that much, so every time they hit the back of the net in training, it’s a good feeling for them and hopefully they can bring that into the game."
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