Finn Azaz is determined to carve his path in international football without being distracted by external criticism. Originating from the West Brom academy and transitioning to Aston Villa in 2021, Azaz has demonstrated resilience, notably contributing to an impressive comeback by the Irish team in the Nations League. The match saw them overturn a 1-0 deficit to emerge victorious with a 2-1 win against Finland in Helsinki. This victory eased some pressure off manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, following earlier defeats against England and Greece.
Azaz remains focused on fulfilling the potential he exhibited during his Villa tenure before his January move to Middlesbrough. His career, marked by loan spells at Newport County and Plymouth Argyle, has taught him the importance of determination, a quality now benefiting his international endeavors. Despite the challenges, including minor boos from fans during a tough first half in Helsinki, Azaz maintains a positive outlook.
Finn Azaz said, “We do hear criticism but that’s part of the job. You need a strong mentality to ignore the noise and hopefully this win will help us gain even more confidence. We have a lot of belief. I didn’t hear any boos at half-time. It was a tough game and a tough first half, but you need to show respect to the opposition. We are a good team. I felt we could push on at half-time and that’s what we tried to do in the second half. With Nathan, mistakes happen and we are ready for that. We didn’t need to say anything to him, he’s an experienced player. We just focused on the positives and had that positive energy for the second half. We will look at the Finland game and build on the positives. We have real belief – and we should have real belief – that we can go [to Greece] and not feel like an underdog.”
Earlier this year, reflecting on his transfer to Middlesbrough and his growth as a versatile player,
Finn Azaz said, “I’m still learning the players and learning the style of football, but I’m really enjoying it here, I’m loving it. I’d played in multiple positions [on loan] at Plymouth before this move and I’ve spent the last three or four years learning how to play different positions so that I was ready to take an opportunity like the one I’ve been given here. Wherever I’m playing, I’ll give my all and try and figure it out to have the best impact. I’m learning the style and keen to keep developing to ensure I can have an impact wherever I’m asked to play. I’ll probably always feel that there is because I’m a perfectionist so I’m always demanding more from myself.”
Ireland is gearing up for their next match against Greece in Athens. Greece comes in strong, having followed their victory in Dublin with a win over England at Wembley. Azaz hopes to once more play a role and contribute to the team’s efforts to capitalize on their momentum and positive belief.
