Martin O’Neill provided the best Irish sporting moment of 2016.
Well, it was Robbie Brady’s header, coming from Wes Hoolahan’s perfect cross, against Italy back in June, that was the best Irish sporting moment of 2016, but it was O’Neill who ensured it happen.
The Republic of Ireland had lost 3-0 to Belgium a few days previous, and it looked like they would be one of the eight teams to exit Euro 2016 at the group stages. Ireland had to beat Italy in the final group game or they would be going home.
Amhran na bhFiann though… Roof closed #IRLITA pic.twitter.com/XIQ0NGZWfr
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
O’Neill worked his magic for the Italy game and picked a bold team.
Shane Duffy, a raw, inexperienced defender, came-in for his first competitive start. The Ireland manager stuck by James McCarthy, who had struggled badly in the previous two-games and brought-in James McClean.
Stalwarts John O’Shea and Glenn Whelan were out, Wes Hoolahan too, Daryl Murphy came-in to hold the ball-up for Shane Long, who, for all his talents, proved incapable of doing so. Seamus Coleman was made captain.
Never mind that Italy had weakened their team by playing fringe players, this Irish side had never played together before and were now had to do something Irish teams rarely do in international football – beat a nation ranked higher.
But they did it. Somehow.
THIS IS WHY WE LOVE FOOTBALL #IRLITA pic.twitter.com/8MBPLrPUj8
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
In sweltering conditions, with the roof closed in the stadium in Lille, a god-awful pitch cutting-up and coming 10-months into the season for most of the players, through sheer force of will, they beat the Azzurri.
It wasn’t necessary football as we’d all like it to be played. The ball went forward very quickly and there was no neat passing. Industry trumped creativity and effort counted for more than skill.
But, on the night, it didn’t matter. This was the reality of Irish football at its best.
Aggressive, determined, spirited and honest with a touch of quality, provided at the end by our two best footballers.
Second-string Italy or not, it didn’t matter.
Do you think Antonio Conte likes losing games? This is a man who named his daughter Vittora – which translates from Italian as ‘Victory’. Arsene Wenger, Jurgen Klopp and Martin O’Neill are the last three managers to record competitive victories over the former Italy manager. (Slaven Bilic also got the better of the Chelsea manager in October, but that was in an EFL Cup game).
That’s illustrious company for the Ireland manager.
Watch: Gianluigi Buffon shows incredible class by congratulating Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane https://t.co/kDZYqWELPJ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
We could also cheapen the achievement of O’Neill and the Irish team by focusing on the reduced quality of the 24-team European Championships. It was, in terms of football, a crap tournament. And international football is crap compared to club football. But instead of focusing on the negatives, we should look at the positives because that’s what O’Neill does.
The Ireland manager could easily look at his team and focus on all the things they can’t do, as Giovanni Trapattoni did. However, O’Neill is an optimist. Unlike his predecessor, the Derry-native is interested in what his players can do, and the Irish team are miles better for it.
WATCH: The Brady family celebrating Robbie's late winner will send goosebumps up your spine https://t.co/VAXW2a3t0H
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
By all accounts, he’s not one for tactics, formations, practicing set-pieces or even spending much time with his players. He’s also spiky and tetchy with the media, and sometimes gives the impression that he’s as bored by international football as the rest of us. O’Neill would also never admit it, but he’d arguably much prefer to be back managing in the Premier League.
However, despite his flaws, sometime disdain for the job and the limitations of the Irish team, the combination of the players and the manager just work. Few things in Irish football have ever made sense, but the current management team and squad do and we should enjoy it while it lasts.
PIC: The front page of tomorrow's L'Equipe should be framed in every Irish household https://t.co/9taEKaZDmJ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
In 2016, Ireland also recorded their best away win in almost 30 years.
Ireland don’t win away to teams ranked above them. Yet they beat Austria in Vienna 1-0 thanks to McClean’s goal and ended the year top of their World Cup qualification group.
The victory over Austria is testament to the qualities O’Neill has brought to the Irish team.
He has constructed a side that look capable of beating anyone and they gave hosts France out of the Euros a real scare a few days after the Italy win. This team fears no-one and that stems from their manager.
17 months ago people were comparing Martin O'Neill with Steve Staunton | @dionfanning on Ireland's transformation https://t.co/70NTdgW3J7
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) November 14, 2016
The euphoria from Brady’s goal against Italy also stemmed from O’Neill’s optimism and work with the Irish team.
Before O’Neill, it had been a very long-time since Ireland won must-win games. At best, we could hope for the 1-1 moral victory. But now we do and O’Neill should take a lot of credit for that.
The problem with these votes is that there’s no context for achievements. Each sportsperson has achieved excellence in his or her field, and should be recognised for doing so. But the wider context is lost, which is ultimately why these polls and votes are ultimately redundant and shouldn’t be taken too serious.
That being said, O’Neill’s feats, and those of the Irish team, have occurred in a sport played by the entire world.
International football’s poor quality is only relative to the club version of the game. But, again, it’s still played by the entire world – there are more member nations of FIFA than there are the United Nations.
This isn’t a sport only played by a few thousand people in Ireland. It’s not a fringe sport like Mixed Martial Arts, it’s not a sport that requires you to have attended a certain school, and it’s not a sport you only take interest in once every four years, It’s not based on your ability to afford a boat.
That’s not an attempt to run down other sports. These are just facts.
No other sport is capable of producing moments like Robbie Brady’s goal.
Twitter is painted green, white and gold as Robbie Brady nods Ireland into the last 16 https://t.co/KxK3vI3HvK
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
No other sport can provide such moments of collective euphoria across the social spectrum. No other sport comes close and that’s because no other sport is as inclusive or matters as much, or to as many people, as football.
And for a long-time Ireland was starved of such moments.
There was a whole generation who hadn’t seen Ireland win at a major tournament. Brady’s goal was a generation’s equivalent of Ray Houghton’s goal against England in ’88, or David O’Leary’s penalty against Romania or Houghton’s goal against Italy in ’94.
Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick grew up together. Tonight they cried together | @dionfanning reports from Lille https://t.co/ajGSbVJssm
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 22, 2016
They’ll always remember where they were when Brady’s header hit the net. A moment of genuine euphoria, joy and relief. Just unfiltered, unbridled, pure happiness and celebration. How often do moments like that occur?
And O’Neill was a large part of that goal. His team represents the best of Ireland. 2016 has been the best year for Irish international football for a very long time and that should be recognised.
13 games, 19 goals, 1 country risen from the ashes https://t.co/29jUX0zcJi
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 29, 2016
A vote for O’Neill is a vote for the Irish team.
…
