Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson opens up on connection to late Greece defender George Baldock

Ireland face Greece on Sunday night in the Nations League, on what is set to be an emotional night for the hosts.

Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson has revealed his connection with the late Greece star George Baldock.

Former Sheffield United defender Baldock passed away suddenly last week at his home in Athens, on the eve of Greece’s game against England at Wembley.

The Panathinaikos full-back, who played last year against Ireland in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, hadn’t been included in the squad for this month’s Nations League games, including Sunday’s clash with Ireland in Piraeus.

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Greece attempted to get the England game postponed, but were told to play - and his emotional teammates secured a shock Wembley win.

Sunday’s game against Ireland, their first home match since Baldock’s passing, is sure to be another highly-charged occasion.

The English-born 31-year-old, who qualified for Greece through his grandparents, started his senior club career at MK Dons and had a loan spell while there in 2012 at IBV, Icelander Hallgrímsson’s hometown club, where he had spells both as a player and manager.

Hallgrímsson said of Balldock’s passing: “I think it will increase their togetherness. It was huge anyway. They are a really good team, hard to break down and hard to beat. As you would have seen in England.

“Moments like this just brings, not only them, people together and makes you realise life is more than football.

“I am a little bit connected to this because he played for my hometown club (IBV) back in Iceland when he was 18. He played a season there.

“We of course give condolences to his family and everyone around. I think they will be the same team, maybe more emotions. If that’s good or bad we will see tomorrow.”

Hallgrímsson is unlikely to make too many changes to the team that won in Finland last Thursday. Luton Town defender Mark McGuinness has been sent back to his club after failing to recover from an ankle injury.

He is, however, expected to be ready when the Championship resumes next weekend.

“Mark McGuinness is not ready to play so we decided with Luton just to send him home,” said Hallgrímsson.

“We expected him to be ready for this game and it’s not like a big injury, he will most definitely make it for Luton at the weekend. And just for the club’s sake as well, we decided to send him home and decided not to bring in a player at such short notice.

“Otherwise everyone is fit and ready. Normally a win will help recover you a bit quicker than not. Everyone is ready and wants to play this game.”

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