"What is an Irish performance?" pondered John O’Shea when speaking to the media on Wednesday.
It is the type of display that the assistant head coach has called for to allow the Republic of Ireland to compete with the mighty Portuguese in Lisbon on Saturday evening as the World Cup qualifying campaign resumes (Live on RTÉ2/Player).
One that was sadly lacking in the first half of the home Hungary game, and completely absent from the humiliating defeat in Yerevan that threatens to derail the national side’s chances of making it to the tournament next summer.
"It's sticking together," said O’Shea. "Not giving up on what we've prepared. That intensity behind it. To go and hurt teams when we can.
"And, obviously, the main thing would be believing in it. Believing in yourself, believing in your team-mates. And backing it up on the pitch ultimately."
O’Shea was happy to use the example of Ireland’s famous home win against Germany and away day at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen to highlight what is needed on the pitch to compete with the elite teams of Europe.
The reason the games were mentioned was not O’Shea bringing up his famous injury-time equaliser, but rather a prompt from a journalist reminding the Waterford man of it being the ten-year anniversary of the famous 1-0 victory against the reigning World Cup holders, Germany - the 1-1 away draw coming a year previously as Ireland took four points from the two games on the road to Euro 2016 qualification.
"It's a combined effort, it always will be for an Irish team, that belief to dig out your mate," said O’Shea.
"First and foremost, get your own game good, but then also dig out your mate if there's a bit of last-ditch defending to be done.
"The belief in the threats that we have to cause teams problems. Pace and power at different areas of the pitch. Can you cause them issues? And then also that determination and resilience.
"You have to know [that] away from home in Europe, you're not going to have as much possession as you'd like. You know the sacrifices that you're going to have to make to possibly your own game to adjust it, to make sure you're doing the best for the team. You combine all those efforts.
"You know the physical aspect, in terms of the output you're going to need, that the subs coming on, they're going to have to be strong finishers for you, that they will see that point over the line, see those three points over the line.
"I think that's the key bit and always will be for us."
O’Shea said that it comes down to intensity and belief going into these difficult away days, and he has urged the team to go out and write their own chapter in the history of Irish football, which has had very few entries over the past decade, since reaching Euro 2016.
"If you're going out there beforehand not believing it, what's the point? What's the point in showing up here?" said O’Shea.
"What's the point in facing that scrutiny and intensity, if you're not going to believe you're going to get out and win a game of football?
"You're going to represent your local club, you're coming here representing so many people that are so proud of you. I think that's what you have to have in the background as well. That's what all the players that play for Ireland have.
"There are lots of moments in Ireland's history, football history, that we can lean on, but we have to get lads to write their own chapters of history too.
"So no better time to do it away at Portugal."
O'Shea also stressed the importance of the collective when it comes to Ireland teams giving Irish performances, emphasising the fact that team comes before individuals, especially at times when underperforming players need support.
"I mentioned about an Irish team, an Irish performance. It's about a team," said O'Shea. "It's about, we have to protect everybody.
"We have to support every individual, and then the team shines out, and when an Irish team is successful, yeah there might be one or two individuals that shine that bit brighter.
"But an Irish team is only successful when it's a collective. And then we can have individuals. But every chance we get together, we have to have that belief in everyone that comes into the squad.
"And then when the manager picks the team to play, it's rowing in behind that."
Watch Portugal v Republic of Ireland in World Cup qualifying on Saturday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live radio commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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