Conor Hourihane insists it's not his place to question Ireland's tactics as Stephen Kenny's patched-up side try to end 2020 with a much-needed victory against Bulgaria tomorrow night.
Kenny has come into the role looking to transform the way Ireland play but his Covid and injury-hit squad has not scored in six games and needs to pick up a draw to avoid relegation to the Nations League third tier.
When quizzed this morning on whether Ireland have to be more compact given the circumstances, Hourihane replied: "I think that's purely down to the manager.
"That's nothing to do with me. I'm just here to play for my country, to play for Ireland, to try and help the team get results.
"But formation-wise, tactics and all that, that's purely down to the manager."
But the Aston Villa midfielder admits he'd love to be able to play further up the pitch - something that hasn't happened since the Euro play-off loss to Slovakia due to the unavailability of James McCarthy and, more recently, of Harry Arter.
"Yeah listen, I suppose at the minute probably the only natural sitter we have in the team, in the squad, is James McCarthy," said Hourihane.
"James unfortunately hasn't been here for the last couple of trips or whatever he's been in since the Slovakia one, myself and James only had the opportunity to play with each other, once in that game.
"He kind of gives the freedom to myself and to Jeff or whoever when we play in there together.
"At the minute when James doesn't play, someone else has to hold the ship in the middle of the park and that seems to be me at the minute.
"It probably takes away from my strengths because I prefer to be a more advanced midfielder but it is what it is, you have to do whatever it takes to get a result and hopefully over the next couple of trips we'll get to the right roles that we want and we'll move on."
Speaking after the latest Covid tests taken by the squad came back negative, Hourihane also gave an insight into the mood of the players on the back of a massive 13 withdrawals from the original one named by Kenny.
"You want the negative result back, you want the text off the doc or whatever," he said. "Everyone is eager and wanting that.
"I suppose in the back of everyone’s mind, when someone is positive on the trip, you are fully aware of how this virus works and it can spread around.
"So listen yeah, it hasn’t been an easy week, it hasn’t been an easy camp but we’re just trying to do with everyone that is here.
"Everyone here will be wanting to make an impression and shine. That’s what happens in football, chances can come around in strange times and lads will now be wanting to prove to the manager what they’re all about."
The Corkman is also counting down the days for when the team can play in front of Ireland supporters again.
“It’s very disheartening, you try and get on with it as best you can...football and life," he admitted.
"The GAA, I’ve watched the games, it’s not the same at the minute, the supporters, the intensity, the energy around stadiums isn’t there at the minute.
"That’s just life, and you have to make do as best we can. Everyone is in the same boat unfortunately and we have get on with it as best we can.
"But listen, it’s not the same, there is not the same emotional energy, the passion, all those words you think of when fans are there. It just isn’t there.
"We’re all hoping that it will come back to a little bit of normality, we’re all craving that, and we’re all very excited for when that comes around".
