I appreciate this is a GAA website but hoganstand have an article about Jack Charlton so I just want to pay tribute to Jack Charlton and his contribution to Irish soccer and Irish sport in general. I was too young for euro 88 and Italy 90 but I remember the excitement for USA 94 watching Ireland vs Italy and Ray Houghtons goal and 1 of the most emotional scenes I remember in Irish sport was his last game vs Holland in Anfield when stayed in the stadium to say their goodbyes to him.

DUALSUPPORT (Limerick) - Posts: 718 - 11/07/2020 13:12:30    2283759

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 11/07/2020 13:42:58    2283762

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 982 - 11/07/2020 13:51:36    2283763

R.I.P.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 1082 - 11/07/2020 14:58:24    2283769

Fantastic memories. Met him once by pure chance, stood for a photo and all. No airs or graces about the man at all. Transcended sports, I was never a great soccer man, but jack brought everyone together. Thanks for the memories rip

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 11/07/2020 15:29:00    2283777

As great as he was, he did a lot of damage to the popularity of GAA sports at the time. Rescued by the dub/meath saga of '91. Thanks neighbours and RIP big jack.

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1357 - 11/07/2020 16:36:28    2283782

What he did for Irish football is immeasurable. A giant of a man and a true giant and legend in Irish football. Also a gentleman. Sad sad day.

tribeinbrum (Galway) - Posts: 4149 - 11/07/2020 16:46:34    2283784

R.I.P Jack! I well remember those incredible times of Euro '88 and Italia '90. His teams had GAA connections - there was Kevin Moran of course, but also Steve Staunton has a Louth senior championship medal and I think Packie Bonnar was a handy Gaelic footballer too.

Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 841 - 11/07/2020 16:50:26    2283785

As I posted this morning on the Kerry forum:

RIP Big Jack :(

We might be GAA men first and foremost but no one can deny the massive impact this man had on Ireland's sporting history.
As my friend said, that's another part of our youth gone, never to return....

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 5828 - 11/07/2020 17:19:33    2283787

I don't think it's a coincidence the "Celtic Tiger" came soon after the success of the Irish soccer team under Jack! He changed the whole psycholgical outlook of the Irish people and prompted the whole country, soccer fans or not to look outwards and aim for success putting Ireland on the international map across all sectors.

What he did for soccer by tapping into the huge Irish ex pat community internationally was copied by business and Ireland under Jack was the best marketing campaign for Ireland as a whole. Whilst it sounds strange I think the GAA benefited as well as it put huge pressure on our games at the time, there is no doubt for a time soccer touched every household in the country but the GAA reacted, modernised, became more media savy and of course planned for the re-development of Croke Park soon after.

Irish soccer never really built on Jack's legacy and the reasons are obviously well known at this stage.

We'll never have a sporting manager making such a positive impact on the whole country again as what Jack did; legend.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 707 - 11/07/2020 18:07:06    2283789

Trying to explain to my nephew's how big the impact of Italia 90 was. On an international level it felt the biggest thing we did before Jack was Eurovision. Irish people loved him for bringing international success and being a good man.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 768 - 11/07/2020 18:40:32    2283791

The Republic of Ireland qualified under Jack for 3 major tournament Finals in 7 years and it could so easily have been 4 Finals.We were unbeaten in our group for Sweden 92 but England pipped us to qualification.Doubt we'll see days like those again for our national soccer team.Rest in peace Jack Charlton and thanks for so many memories.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 1275 - 11/07/2020 19:22:25    2283794

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 193 - 11/07/2020 19:35:12    2283795

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 1115 - 11/07/2020 22:09:48    2283809

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 112 - 11/07/2020 22:18:33    2283811

lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1357 - 11/07/2020 23:33:07    2283819

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 12/07/2020 00:21:13    2283821

Was lucky enough as a nipper to have gone to a lot of the games in that era having Landsdowne on the doorstep, The scenes & times were just mad and it was an amazing time for the country at its appex. He will always be remembered for that and we will thank him for those memories.

With a cold analytical eye though we had serious players, better then just lumping it forward and putting teams "under pressure". Some decisions were odd, Brady out of squads and Dave O Leary was a serious quality footballer to.

He was very fortunate with the players available - im not sure we will see the same again in our lifetime and i dont think he played the style to get the most out of them, particularly the midfield. At the time we were drunk on the jump in relative success, but that team was loaded with super talent and was a match talent wise for anyone certainly in Europe.

Hes an icon now for the times he gave the country but we had a squad to match anyone in Europe at that time, yet it was sold as plucky mentality all built of canny Jack, If im honest i think Jack never got the best out of the quality we had, he fell on his feet really with the quality of player who came through. Not dismissing his memory in anyway, hes a national icon, really grateful for the, scenes, memerioes, craic and the times in the country were great.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 3671 - 12/07/2020 09:08:43    2283827

I had the great pleasure of sitting next to him at a function. He loved Ireland. He loved the people. Some of the guests were trying to talk about 1966. He and i were talking fishing the Moy. But had time for everyone. He arrived an hour earlier than he was due and left an hour after he was supposed to finish. I asked him about his approach to the managing Ireland, which was pragmatic and illuminating. Got a photo with him. Only when he had left had i seen he had signed the back "From one great footballer to another". And by the way i was not a great footballer.

johnq (UK) - Posts: 5 - 12/07/2020 09:10:51    2283828

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 12/07/2020 10:30:29    2283832