A childhood dream with his childhood team mate.
Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick grew up kicking ball together in Dublin.
They dreamed of nights like Monday night. Of playing for their country. Of starring for their country. Of leading their country to major tournaments roared on by the manic screams of a whole nation.
They dreamed of making the short journey to Lansdowne Road and, who knows, making a journey into legends they’ll tell and retell in the future.
“You grow up dreaming of these moments,” Brady spoke after a euphoric night at the Aviva. “I know it’s a cliche to say you dream of it but you really do. This has always been my dream to play at home in front of a group of supporters as good as tonight and you don’t want to let anyone down and it would’ve been an awful shame, for the results we picked up, to let anyone down. I’m happy for everyone involved. Bring on France.”
The 23-year-old was always dreaming. But did he always believe that both him and Jeff Hendrick would make the grade together.
“I’m not sure. When I was a kid, I always thought he would because he was excellent when we were growing up,” the Norwich player said. “It’s a special night for the two of us. Because we started together when we were kids – since we first started kicking a ball, I’ve been playing in the same team as Jeff. To play in such a massive game and a massive night for the country, to go and push us through, it’s a special night for me and him. I’m so proud of him as well.”
Brady reverted back to defence for the second play-off game against Bosnia. He was comfortable at full back but more so because he was there beside Richard Keogh and Ciaran Clark.
“It was more concentration for me than physical because, any ball that came into the box, the two lads were eating them up and I just had to concentrate on mopping up. Like you saw in Bosnia, the two of them were excellent and, to keep an another clean sheet at home, it was brilliant.”
And, of course, there was time for Jon Walters. There’s always time for Jon Walters.
“With Jonny coming into the team, he was excellent,” Brady said. “He was exactly what we needed. His work rate, his holding the ball up, putting himself about and, to get a couple of goals and push us through, was unbelievable.
“He’s been one of the main players since the start of the campaign, he always is. A lot of credit to him.”
