Gone are the days when the Republic of Ireland’s squad were established English top flight players thanks to Jack Charlton’s tendency to select anyone who had previously drunk a Guinness.
These days, not a single one plays for a team in the top five of the English Premier League – a far cry from their 1-1 draw with England at the 1990 World Cup when six of their starting eleven could make that very claim.
Two years earlier they beat England 1-0 at the Euros, their only win at the tournament. At Euro 2012, they lost every game, including a 2-0 defeat to Italy, who they face again this time around, along with dangerous Belgium and Sweden.
But write them off at your peril. They may only have three wins from 19 games at major championships, but they’ve still managed to make it through to the knockout stages of three World Cups.
Despite the long odds, the evergreen Coogan will be roaring them on. A resident here since the 1970s, he founded the international football club Copenhagen Celtic back in 1982, where he is still an active member.
“The team originated at a restaurant,” he said. “When staff came looking for a job we asked if they played football – then for references afterwards.”
If you’re lucky, you might encounter the cursing Corkman in Kennedy’s Bar, but be sure to buy him a drink as he won’t enter into conversation unless his lips are wet. (BH)
