UNITED FRONT
City fan Farrell wants his Ireland team to adopt the mentality of Fergie’s great Red Devils sides
ANDY FARRELL wants his Ireland team to strive for the mentality that made Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United so relentless in the pursuit of silverware.
Ireland are No.1 in the world rankings on the eve of the Six Nations but Farrell is adamant that they can get even better.
Mentality is the key to unlocking that potential, the 47-year-old believes, and so he has been an avid observer of top teams that have stayed hungry for success.
“I’ve seen how people coped with it,” said Farrell, who himself was a pivotal part of the famous 1990s Wigan rugby league side.
“I’m obsessed with why teams keep being successful, why they are able to stay at the top because everyone is trying to hunt them down.”
Farrell, a Manchester City supporter, confesses he is a huge admirer of what their bitter rivals at Old Trafford achieved when they were the best club in England.
Under Ferguson, the Red Devils won 13 League titles between 1992 and 2013, as well as the Champions League twice and the FA Cup on five occasions.
He said: “I’m a City supporter but was in awe of how United kept on winning title after title because it’s so hard to do. The mentality and the fight to want to go out and attack the game in your manner is pretty key.”
Farrell has met Ferguson a few times. “He’s an impressive man isn’t he? There’s an aura about him. Respect,” he said.
At his team announcement in Portugal yesterday, Farrell also talked about how Ireland must now embrace the white-hot atmosphere of Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Ireland have not won a championship game there since the 30-22 victory in 2013 – and Farrell mentioned that his own playing record at the ground was not good either.
He recalled being beaten with Saracens after he had crossed over to union while he also lost a Rugby League Challenge Cup final there against St Helens.
“Great times,” he deadpanned.
But Farrell insists mentality is everything as his side approach a difficult away fixture.
“It’s where we can make the biggest strides,” he explained. “I think we’ve made a start, I don’t think we’re anywhere near where we can get to.
“The game is a very emotional one and being able to control those emotions so that we can do what we say we’re going to do is key to us.”
Farrell also knows a vital part of the DNA in a consistently successful team is the ability to learn from mistakes.
Ireland won all three of their Autumn Nations Series games but the head coach stressed there was much to improve on and promised honest feedback to the players in this latest camp.
He said: “The definition of madness is to keep on making the same mistakes so we’re pretty keen to rectify all those.
“Wales will have a say in that. I’ve no doubt that everything physically within this game will be hotly contested.
“We’ve got to have our wits about us in all sorts of areas but at the same time be able to play the game that we want to play as well.”
Farrell is convinced this has been Ireland’s best preparation since he took over the hotseat and, after two third place finishes and last year’s runners-up spot, he is targeting a Six Nations title.
“Finding a way is something we’ve been pretty good at in the last 12 months,” he added. “There’s an appetite to get better.”