Volcanoes, connection & disrespect - the making of Hallgrimsson

ByAndy Gray

BBC Sport NI Journalist

Off the south coast of Iceland, famous for its wind-swept black beaches and picturesque landscape, sits the small, isolated island of Heimaey.

Part of the Westman Islands, the dominating hills and threatening volcanoes frame the harbour, where fishing provides the main source of income.

In the height of the harsh winters it can almost be cut off from the mainland, yet in the long summer days with the midnight sun, its beauty shines through as the wildlife comes to the fore.

Some describe it as "the place that makes no sense", yet it is where Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson calls home.

In January 1973, when he was five, the Eldfell volcano erupted without warning and forced the entire 4,000-strong town to evacuate to the mainland.

While some of the town was ruined, brave locals used sea water to cool the lava and slow its flow, which saved it, and crucially the harbour, from total destruction.

When Hallgrimsson and his family returned, it is where his love of football developed, first as a player and then as a coach at IBV Vestmannaeyjar.

It's also where he met his wife, Iris, who played for the women's team, and where his now-famous dental practice is situated.

More than 50 years on from the famous eruption, the island now plays host to the biggest annual festival in Iceland, and to the largest kids football tournaments, both in the shadow of the volcanoes.

Heimaey translates into 'home island', and it shaped the man, the manager and a national hero.

"It's a very tight-knit community and you can sense it when you are there, especially when it translates to sport," said Icelandic football journalist Gudmundur Adalsteinn Asgeirsson.

"They always have an incredible team spirit, and Heimir is a great example of someone from the Westman Islands.

"He's extremely hard working, takes on different roles and pulls his sleeves up."

After overachieving with IBV's men's and women's teams in his early years as a coach, he was appointed assistant manager to Iceland head coach Lars Lagerback in 2011.

It was a succession plan which was set to see Lagerback take a step back in 2014.

However, plans changed and Hallgrimsson was promoted to joint-manager, and the duo guided Iceland to a first major tournament at Euro 2016.

Not only that, but they progressed from their group before the famous win over England in the last-16, which is still celebrated in the country 10 years on.

Hallgrimsson would then take sole control and Iceland qualified for their first, and so far only, World Cup in 2018.

"Under Heimir, the IBV teams were always overachieving and they almost won the league, which would have been an unbelievable achievement," Asgeirsson added.

"He learned a lot from Lars, who changed Icelandic football with his philosophy and attitude to everything.

"He took things to another level and he was really disciplined.

"With both IBV and Iceland, you can definitely say Heimir has always been a coach who gets the most out of the players."

After leaving Iceland following the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where they finished bottom of Group B despite a draw with Argentina, Hallgrimsson moved to Qatar with Al-Arabi.

He had three years in the Middle East before he was back in international football with Jamaica.

But a return to Europe beckoned when he ended the FAI's 231-day wait to name a successor for Stephen Kenny in 2024.

At that time, Irish football was struggling as Kenny departed with just 11 wins in 40 matches, although he had introduced a number of young players in a time of transition.

There was some scepticism from the Irish media and pundits at Hallgrimsson's surprise appointment, and four defeats and four wins his first Nations League campaign didn't exactly shut out the noise.

Asgeirsson said there was frustration in Iceland at the short-term criticism of Hallgrimsson, who said "I think every Icelander follows him".

"It's been funny to watch the discussion in Ireland around him since he took that job, because people were quickly on his back and I think he was quite disrespected.

"People in Iceland, not just from the Westman Islands but the whole country, absolutely love him.

"We think really, really highly of him and expect him to succeed wherever he goes because of what he has done, and with what kind of a person and coach he is."

In September, following the Republic of Ireland's shock World Cup qualifying defeat in Armenia, many were calling for Hallgrimsson's exit.

Eight months on, they are just two games away from a first World Cup since 2002 and the 58-year-old has been rewarded with a new contract ahead of the play-offs.

His standing in Irish football has been flipped on its head in the space of a few months.

The Czech Republic stand in the way in the play-off semi-final, and if successful, either Denmark or North Macedonia will travel to Dublin for the decider.

The play-offs came after Hallgrimsson masterminded a win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, and a famous Troy Parrott-inspired victory in Hungary saw them snatch second in the group.

"I remember watching the Armenia game and his interview was really, really interesting,' said Asgeirsson.

"We kind of saw another side of Heimir where he fought back.

"It gives us a bit of national pride after all the adversity he went through, like in Armenia, to claw his way back to experience that kind of feeling against Portugal and Hungary, which was unbelievable."

Asgeirsson says that the Republic of Ireland have already become the second international team for a lot of Iceland, and if Hallgrimsson can guide them to the World Cup, that will only grow.

When Hallgrimsson was Iceland manager he would have met with supporters before matches in a bar near the national stadium in Reykjavik.

It was his initiative to grow the connection with the fans. Now, those bars are full of people cheering on the Republic of Ireland as they try to make history with one of their own.

"He's a normal guy with a great attitude, a great sense of humour and he's a great coach.

"I think every player who's played under him absolutely loves him. That's what he is about, he is a man of the people.

"Everybody is just praying and hoping that they get to the World Cup."

The love for Hallgrimsson in the Republic of Ireland has been a slow burn, but World Cup qualification would cement his place as one of the county's favourite adopted sons.