SIX OF THE BEST
From Stuttgart to New Jersey... the great days that def ined Charlton’s era with Ireland
OVER 94 games, nine years and so many marvellous memories of the Republic of Ireland team under manager Jack Charlton, selecting the best six is not straightforward. For instance, there was the flowing football of Hannover in Euro ’88 against the USSR, which many Irish players felt was the best they played under Charlton.
There was the emphatic 3-1 win over Turkey in the cauldron of Istanbul in 1991, and the 4-0 thumping of Northern Ireland in Belfast in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers.
In between, Ireland duelled with Spain in the Seville bearpit only to be denied by poor finishing and an incorrect offside call after John Aldridge ‘scored’ with 20 minutes to go.
That was the night a 22-year-old Roy Keane stamped his arrival on the international stage, which allowed Charlton to switch Paul McGrath back to his best position, central defence.
And, of course, how can anyone overlook the massive 1-0 win over Portugal in the Euro ’96 campaign. Remember Aldo goading Fernando Couto after Steve Staunton scored?
A case could well be made for beating the Czechs in the summer of 1986, with a late Frank Stapleton goal, which secured the ‘Reykjavik 200’ tournament and proved a vital early staging post for the players who began to appreciate the merit of Charlton’s long-ball tactics.
This result was also a first for Ireland on two fronts – they’d never won a tournament before and it was the first win wearing white shirts and green shorts.
Apologies, but they don’t make my short-list. These six do, though.
18/2/87: Scotland 0 Republic of Ireland 1 (Lawrenson 6)
SUCH was the strong hand Charlton inherited, he had to shoe-horn the classy duo of Paul McGrath and Ronnie Whelan into the team as full-backs.
As a consequence, he was able to release Mark Lawrenson from defence into midfield, where he had a stormer at Hampden, topped by the only goal of the game after a quickly-taken John Aldridge free.
To win on Scottish turf against a team which had reached the 1986 World Cup finals injected further confidence into the ranks of a team which was coming around to Charlton’s forceful methods.
Soon, the handbrake was off and the bandwagon started to roll apace although it needed a favour, ironically from Scotland, to finally open the door to a major championship.
Rep of IReland: Bonner; McGrath, McCarthy, Moran, Whelan; Houghton, Lawrenson, Brady (Byrne 60), Galvin; Stapleton, Aldridge.
12/6/88 (Stuttgart): England 0 Republic of Ireland 1 (Houghton 5)
‘DON’T you ever do that to me again,’ blared Charlton at a bemused match-winner Ray Houghton after the game. ‘That was the worst 85 minutes of my life!’
To beat England in the first game at a major tournament, changed the mindset of the team, and of a nation. Charlton’s legacy was assured.
In fairness, Ireland played better under Charlton on other days and lost.
In the sticky heat of the Neckarstadion, they were forced onto the back foot and leaned on Packie Bonner to protect the narrow lead. Again, Charlton’s tactics held firm as he chalked up a victory which thrust the team into the limelight.
From being alsorans across Europe for so long, Ireland were now regarded as major players. Rep of IReland: Bonner; Morris, McCarthy, Moran, Hughton; Houghton, McGrath, Whelan, Galvin (Sheedy 76); Stapleton
(Quinn 63), Aldridge.
26/4/89: Rep of Ireland 1 (Michel 15 og) Spain 0
A HUGELY symbolic success as Spain had denied Ireland in the 1966 World Cup play-off, and had also won in Seville the previous November against a team shorn of Paul McGrath, Ronnie Whelan, Kevin Sheedy, Liam Brady and Frank Stapleton.
This time, Charlton had the props in place and it was Whelan and Stapleton who combined to force the error from Michel as Ireland struck early in front of a 49,600 crowd.
Ireland bombarded the shellshocked Spanish and could have won by a clearer margin, even when Charlton reverted to 4-5-1 for the final quarter.
The result hammered out an emphatic message that Charlton and Co were on track for their first World Cup finals.
Rep of IReland: Bonner; Hughton, McCarthy, Moran, Staunton; Houghton, McGrath, Whelan,
Sheedy; Stapleton (Townsend 67), Cascarino.
25/6/90 (Genoa): Romania 0 Rep of Ireland 0 (Ireland won 5-4 on pens)
‘WHEN I saw David O’Leary going up for the fifth penalty, I couldn’t believe it. I thought “Come on”,’ recalled Charlton.
As a nation held its breath, O’Leary kept his cool to follow the heroics of Packie Bonner and Ireland’s gladiators were marching on to Rome.
How ironic O’Leary should have been the hero as Charlton ignored him for two and a half years when he was the best ball-playing centre-half in Europe.
This was a grim duel in the sun with plenty of bone-shaking tackles but Ireland shaded the game and kept their nerve in the shoot-out. Curiously, none of the five Irish penalty takers were born in Ireland.
Rep of IReland: Bonner; Morris, McCarthy, Moran, Staunton (O’Leary 93); Houghton, McGrath, Townsend, Sheedy; Aldridge (Cascarino 22), Quinn.
27/3/91 (Wembley): England 1 (Staunton og 9) Republic of Ireland 1 (Quinn 27)
IN front of 83,000 fans, Ireland played England off the park and should have won handily.
It was a slick performance akin to that against the USSR in Euro ’88, with an equally costly outcome as the draw denied Charlton’s Ireland, then at their peak, a shot at the 1992 Euro finals.
The passage of play before Niall Quinn’s equaliser was astonishing as England trembled on the ropes, starved of possession and unable to break out of their own half.
Ray Houghton missed a sitter late on. It would prove costly.
Charlton was upset by barracking by some English fans as he walked along the touchline. ‘Don’t they know I won the World Cup?’ he said to Tony Cascarino.
Rep of IReland: Bonner; Irwin, O’Leary, Moran, Staunton; Houghton, McGrath, Townsend, Sheedy; Aldridge (Cascarino 72), Quinn.
18/6/1994 (Giants Stadium): Italy 0 Republic of Ireland 1 (Houghton 11)
THE night before, Charlton was cursing his luck at having no defenders, yet Paul McGrath, one arm hanging loosely by his side, turned in a world-class performance on the world stage.
The dependable Houghton, almost written off by Charlton before the finals, again rose to the occasion, and just as he’d done in Stuttgart, scored an early goal that proved decisive.
Later, Jason McAteer came on and nutmegged Roberto Baggio with his first touch, his selection clearly justified and evidence that Charlton wasn’t afraid to gamble on youth.
For the third time in a major tournament under Charlton, Ireland avoided defeat in their opening game.
To do so against the team they lost to in 1990 and had won three World Cups was a remarkable feat.
That Italy subsequently reached the final reflected more positive light on Charlton’s crew.
Rep of IReland: Bonner; Irwin, McGrath, Babb, Phelan; Houghton (McAteer 68), Keane, Sheridan, Townsend, Staunton; Coyne (Aldridge 90).