Ah, the Good Old Days

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Irish Voice Sport

Ah, the Good Old Days

June 11, 2008

The Cathal Dervan Column

THE stories are still coming thick and fast, even 20 years after Ray Houghton stuck the ball in the English net and the world came to a standstill at six minutes past three local time on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Stuttgart’s Neckarstadion.

On Monday afternoon, as the sun split the rocks at Powerscourt golf club just outside the wonderful Enniskerry in the Co. Wicklow, a new story from Euro ‘88 came my way a full two decades after the greatest sporting day in many of our lives.

We were discussing the 20th anniversary of Big Jack’s greatest moment in the course of our round of golf, an anniversary that occurs on Thursday when the country goes to the polls in a totally different European context.

The usual stories were trotted out, like how the then Football Association of Ireland President Fran Fields, since sadly departed, allegedly told Mayor Rommel of Stuttgart that “tonight we have done what your grandfather failed to do and beaten the English.”

That may or may not be true like so many of the stories retold the other day, but who cares?

We recalled how Jack Charlton wasn’t scratching his head in amazement after Houghton’s goal, he had merely bumped his head off the top of the dug-out and was rubbing the subsequent bump.

We heard once again how a judge in a Dublin court asked for a translator after a German sailor had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly in the post match celebrations. Requested to ask the German his name, the young Dub sworn in to act as interpreter simply said, “Wot Is Your Name” and was promptly charged with contempt of court.

We recalled how Liam Brady led the sing-song in the team hotel that night even though he wasn’t part of the squad, and how a very well known Irish player was found asleep in the bath as Jack let his players enjoy the greatest moment of their lives.

We even retold the great Jimmy Magee’s story of how a group of Irish fans stopped him in Stuttgart the morning after the game, confirmed he was indeed the memory man with an answer for every question, then asked him if he knew where their hotel was!

And then a long-time friend of mine offered a new story from his own Euro ’88 experience at a time when I thought I had heard every story possible about that wonderful summer of love, football style.

Roy, my friend that is, went to Germany with a group of diehard soccer fans from Dublin, one of whom has been rechristened from that day to since in honor of the then Italian captain Alessandro Altobelli whose nickname was Spillo, needle in English, in honor of his slender frame.

Aware of this moniker having gone to see Italy play Denmark in Cologne the night before we played Holland in Gelsenkirchen, Roy and his mates renamed their friend Altobelli Kelly in honor of his rather large stomach, otherwise known as a beer belly.

He’s been known as Altobelli Kelly to his friends from that day to this, and I am sure they will have a good chuckle about it on Thursday when the 20th anniversary of Houghton’s goal dawns.

They won’t be the only ones thinking of the past when the clock strikes 2:06 this Thursday afternoon and the rest of the country is caught up with the Lisbon Treaty vote.

I was in the Neckarstadion that night, and it still brings a smile to my face every time I think about the win against England, about Packie Bonner’s heroics and Razor’s great goal.

Sure there were great days and nights afterwards, but nothing can ever beat the first time, and that was the first time Ireland played on a big stage, the first time we beat the nation that invented the game of football when it really mattered.

It was also naive and innocent, a time when Ireland was very much on the edge of Europe and the trip to Germany was a new experience for all concerned, players, fans and media.

With the current European Championships coming into our living rooms twice a night right now, it hurts to realize that the football world is carrying on without us.

The past is the past, but at least we can look back with affection this Thursday afternoon, happy in the knowledge that we will always have Stuttgart. Sweet, sweet Stuttgart –- even if your name is Altobelli Kelly!

Let’s Go Hooters!

THE world will focus its attention on Torrey Pines this weekend when all eyes will be on Tiger Woods and how he fares in his first competitive outing since knee surgery on a public course that promises to be the toughest host venue for the U.S. Open yet.

Irish golf fans, however, will have two other players to focus on, and the contrast between British Open champion Padraig Harrington, 12th in the world rankings, and Ulster’s Chris Devlin, 43rd on the Hooters money list, couldn’t be greater.

Major winner Harrington will be one of the favorites for the U.S. Open when he tees up alongside reigning champion Angel Cabrera and the great Davis Love III.

Behind him in the field will be Ballymena’s Devlin, a 33-year-old who turned pro just two years ago and spends most normal weeks chasing the small bucks on the Hooters Tour that serves as an apprenticeship for those dreaming of life on the lucrative U.S. tour.

Devlin lives in Alabama, his college home, with his American wife Michelle and qualified for the U.S. Open via qualifying at the Springfield County Club in Ohio which could double as Homer Simpson’s home course!

Now, with just $10,000 in winnings this season, he will be thrust into the U.S. Open spotlight thanks to the qualifying system, and he’s determined to make the most of it.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me and I know it,” said Devlin, a robust and fiery character who makes the most of his 5’11” frame. “I want to get my card in America or in Europe and this gives me a big chance to prove that I am good enough to achieve that dream.”

Let’s hope his dream comes true this weekend. We’ll certainly be watching with interest.

Heroes Of the Week

TIPPERARY ended an 85 year wait for a win in Cork when they finally overcame their Pairc Ui Chaoimh hosts in the Munster SHC semifinal on Sunday. Liam Sheedy’s team looked so good last weekend that they just give the Cats a run for their money in the chase for the McCarthy Cup and that can only be good news for the championship summer to come.

Idiots Of the Week

THERE were chaotic scenes at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon when police had to open the gates and allow some 300 fans to spill onto the sidelines to avoid a crush at the Blackrock end of the ground. Such scenes cannot be acceptable in modern day sport. We have seen too many tragedies across the world to take any chance with crowd safety. Let’s hope the lessons have been learned.

Sideline Views

SOCCER: The new Irish soccer manager Giovanni Trapattoni was the subject of a quite bizarre story in Tuesday’s Daily Mail when he claimed, “A man who understands Mozart can also play better football.” According to the tale from Salzburg, one of the host cities for Euro 2008 and Mozart’s birthplace, Trap is going to encourage his Ireland players to listen to Mozart and his likes on their iPods before their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers. I wish him well. If he tells the player that Mozart is the name of a disco bar in Dublin he might just grab their attention. I can’t see them paying attention to Mozart, Bach or Beethoven otherwise.

SOCCER: Speaking of the European Championships currently underway in Switzerland and Austria, football fans this side of the Atlantic are split over the legality of Van Nistelrooy’s opening goal in the 3-0 win against Russia on Monday night. In case you didn’t see it the match officials decided that Van Nistelrooy was played onside by the Italian defender Puccini who was lying on the ground off the pitch after a clash with his keeper. Technically the decision was correct but I fail to see how the injured Puccini was still in play.

SOCCER: The new Lansdowne Road stadium is just 22 months away from completion, but last weekend the Football Association of Ireland admitted that they have yet to sell even one of the 10 year tickets that are going to pay for their part of the deal. The Irish Rugby Football Union, in stark contrast, have already sold out their 10,000 long term tickets and could easily have sold 25,000 of them. At least our rugby legislators are planning in advance.

HURLING: Great to see the Clare legend Davy Fitzgerald back in big time hurling as the new manager of the Waterford senior team. He may be small in stature but Fitzy has always had a big heart and that’s exactly what Waterford could do with right now.

SOCCER: Some thoughts after the opening games in the European Championships. Spain are the best team on current form, Italy are all at sea and joint hosts, Switzerland and Austria are poor. Portugal, though, are still my tip to win it.

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