O’Neill gives his backing for united Ireland team

[brokencrossbar1]

By Liam Mackey
MARTIN O'NEILL believes that a united Ireland football team would be "a phenomenal step" for the game on the island.


The Aston Villa manager and former Northern Ireland international was speaking before a lunch in Dublin yesterday to honour the All-Ireland Shamrock Rovers XI which played the then world champions Brazil in a famous exhibition game at Lansdowne Road in October 1973.

Although the starting 11 that day included the likes of Pat Jennings, Bryan Hamilton and O'Neill himself from the north and John Giles, Don Givens and Paddy Mulligan from the south, the fixture was cold-shouldered by the IFA in Belfast. And the late Derek Dougan, the legendary Wolves striker whose brainchild the game was, paid for his bold initiative by never again being picked to play for the North.


"Derek sacrificed a lot," Martin O'Neill recalled yesterday. "He knew what he was taking on, with the game being played against the particular political/ religious backdrop of the time, and his own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence. Even then we realised that it was very historic but you would never have known at that stage what the future held."

Thirty five years on, O'Neill isn't convinced that an All-Ireland team is necessarily imminent, despite the extraordinary political changes on the island in recent years. But it's a development he would dearly love to see.

"The political climate has changed a great deal since then and you might think that in this particular climate it is a possibility," he mused. "But I really don't know. I don't know even at this stage if everyone would want it to happen.

"From the playing viewpoint, you can imagine the possibilities. For instance, Northern Ireland went on to the 1982 World Cup and we actually played in the quarter-finals. And can you imagine what our side would have been like then if it had included Frank Stapleton and Liam Brady? We would have been phenomenal. We had a great old spirit among ourselves at that time but you can imagine what it would have like to add one or two of those players. And I'm sure there was a stage in later years when the Republic might have thought they could have done with one or two extra players — like, if Pat Jennings had been around."

Jennings, by common consent one of the world's greatest ever goalkeepers, also recalled that officialdom north of the border was also out of step with the players back in 1973.

"The Doog has gone into print as saying that he didn't get a great hearing when he went with the idea to the Irish FA and the fact that none of them turned up on the night, and we had to go under the banner of Shamrock Rovers, it's obvious that everybody wasn't giving it their backing. But from the players' point of view it was just a great occasion to play football against Brazil. We all understood what the occasion was and what the possibilities were — but then it's never been a players' problem, has it?"

Jennings too, while paying tribute to the successes on the pitch of both Northern Ireland and the Republic in the years since, believes that a combined team could only do even better, especially at a time when, as he notes, the influx of foreign players in English football means that young players from Ireland "aren't getting blooded any more at the top level."

The Newry man also gave his backing to the topical concept of an All-Ireland League.

"It has to improve players to play against better individuals week in and week out and it would create more interest as well. Supporters aren't frightened of travelling any more and I think it would be great for the game to have a united Ireland situation where they're playing each other North and South. The Setanta Cup has been good for the game and I'm sure the players would look forward to a full-time league."

Martin O'Neill recalled with wonder some of the memories he had of playing against Brazil as a 21-year-old midfielder with Nottingham Forest.

"There was the thrill of playing with Johnny Giles, a wonder player, in midfield. And I remember lining up for the game and looking at some of the Brazilian players who played in the 1970 World Cup — which might still be considered the finest international side that ever played. To be playing against some of them — Clodoaldo, whose shirt I got, Rivelino, Jairzinho — made it a phenomenal day."

Yesterday's event was organised by Lucozade Sport and the Association of Sports Journalists in Ireland as part of their ongoing series of Sport Legends lunches.

[Gnevin]

Who cares , more chance of a  united Ireland country than a united Ireland soccer team if Fearon and his OWC buddies are anything to go by

[saffron sam2]

By Liam Mackey

"Derek sacrificed a lot," Martin O'Neill recalled yesterday. "He knew what he was taking on, with the game being played against the particular political/ religious backdrop of the time, and his own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence. Even then we realised that it was very historic but you would never have known at that stage what the future held."
Jennings, by common consent one of the world's greatest ever goalkeepers, also recalled that officialdom north of the border was also out of step with the players back in 1973.

"The Doog has gone into print as saying that he didn't get a great hearing when he went with the idea to the Irish FA and the fact that none of them turned up on the night, and we had to go under the banner of Shamrock Rovers, it's obvious that everybody wasn't giving it their backing. But from the players' point of view it was just a great occasion to play football against Brazil. We all understood what the occasion was and what the possibilities were — but then it's never been a players' problem, has it?"

But we now know that the fact The Doog never again played for NI had absolutely nothing to do with his involvement in this game, don't we?

Someone better tell Pat and Martin then.

[T Fearon]

Jennings, O'Neill, the late George Best and Derek Dougan,only four big names of six county soccer who have recorded their support for an All Ireland side.

The only obstacle is the handful of bigots in the IFA and OWC. This will eveolve naturally if Irish passport holders in the North follow the example of Darren Gibson and it is important that the FAI push this now (surely Trappatoni will have major influence with his former player, Platini) and not allow the bigots in Windsor Avenue to stymie this.

[saffron sam2]

And there were no quarter finals at the 1982 WC finals.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Lordy, Lordy,

MON can kiss goodbye to the lucrative and attractive chance to be Nigel Worthingon's successor sometime in the future after this diatribe.  Has he never read OWC to know the truth about Dougan???

Taking this into account with his tenure at Glasgow Celtic and his friendship with Neil Lennon it is a step too far...........

Also showing admiration for beggars such as Stapleton, Giles and Brady!!???!!!   Shame!

/Jim.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Whats the date?

[SammyG]

By Liam Mackey
MARTIN O'NEILL believes that a united Ireland football team would be "a phenomenal step" for the game on the island.

I've read through the piece and I can't find anywhere that he says anything of the sort, can somebody help me out?

[SammyG]

By Liam Mackey

"Derek sacrificed a lot," Martin O'Neill recalled yesterday. "He knew what he was taking on, with the game being played against the particular political/ religious backdrop of the time, and his own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence. Even then we realised that it was very historic but you would never have known at that stage what the future held."
Jennings, by common consent one of the world's greatest ever goalkeepers, also recalled that officialdom north of the border was also out of step with the players back in 1973.

"The Doog has gone into print as saying that he didn't get a great hearing when he went with the idea to the Irish FA and the fact that none of them turned up on the night, and we had to go under the banner of Shamrock Rovers, it's obvious that everybody wasn't giving it their backing. But from the players' point of view it was just a great occasion to play football against Brazil. We all understood what the occasion was and what the possibilities were — but then it's never been a players' problem, has it?"

But we now know that the fact The Doog never again played for NI had absolutely nothing to do with his involvement in this game, don't we?

Someone better tell Pat and Martin then.

They're actually both quoting from the Doog's book (but then you knew that already) and any look at the facts shows it's nonsense.

[saffron sam2]

By Liam Mackey

"Derek sacrificed a lot," Martin O'Neill recalled yesterday. "He knew what he was taking on, with the game being played against the particular political/ religious backdrop of the time, and his own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence. Even then we realised that it was very historic but you would never have known at that stage what the future held."
Jennings, by common consent one of the world's greatest ever goalkeepers, also recalled that officialdom north of the border was also out of step with the players back in 1973.

"The Doog has gone into print as saying that he didn't get a great hearing when he went with the idea to the Irish FA and the fact that none of them turned up on the night, and we had to go under the banner of Shamrock Rovers, it's obvious that everybody wasn't giving it their backing. But from the players' point of view it was just a great occasion to play football against Brazil. We all understood what the occasion was and what the possibilities were — but then it's never been a players' problem, has it?"

But we now know that the fact The Doog never again played for NI had absolutely nothing to do with his involvement in this game, don't we?

Someone better tell Pat and Martin then.

They're actually both quoting from the Doog's book (but then you knew that already) and any look at the facts shows it's nonsense.

I didn't, not having read the Doog's book. Although I did once borrow it from the library, I didn't get it started. Cost me 50p in late fess too.

I will accept that it appears that Pat is using Doog's written word, but I don't see how you're getting that from what O'Neill said. To me, it seems that O'Neill is of the opinion that Derek sacrificed a lot [with his involvement in the game] and his [Dougan's] own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence.

[Main Street]

The FIFA president had to take his phone off the hook to give his ears a rest from the IFA pleadings to get the game called off.


And the brass band played   "a Nation Once Again"  





Dougan was not the most popular with the the IFA before the game and
"After it, I probably had a couple of my best years at Wolves but I never played for Northern Ireland again. I finished up with 43 appearances, seven short of my second gold watch. After 15 years I had no complaints but," he laughs, "you lot down south owe me a watch."

[nifan]

Just because Martin was a great player for us doesnt mean his opinion is correct - he was also a friend of the Doog and perhaps hasa  little loyalty to him?

Do the facts not really show that Doogans time with NI had already passed? Really?

[Main Street]

He played 40 full games for Wolves  in the following season 1973 - 4  scoring 15 goals.

Dougan playing at Wembley, League cup final 1974

[saffron sam2]

The same season '73 - '74 in which NI played 5 matches and scored two goals?

[AZOffaly]

Any chance Liam Mackey is having a laugh at ye all? The day that's in it and all? Or maybe BC just butchered an interview with him!!