THE CARTOON STRIPS were down one side of the page and the football headlines on the one opposite.
The adventures of ‘Jiggs and Maggie’, ‘Little Eve’, and ‘Mutt and Jeff’ took residence across from ‘Humiliation of the Irish’ in the Thursday edition of the Evening Herald on 5 May, 1966.
The 4-0 defeat to West Germany was described as “a painful Dalymount experience” in front of what was estimated to be the smallest crowd for a senior international.
The 16,000 in attendance did get to see the continued emergence of one Franz Beckenbauer, described as the game’s “outstanding player whose acceleration was amazing”. It was noted how “Germany has produced another brilliant player in Franz Beckenbauer”, who scored the second goal as their preparations ramped up for the 1966 World Cup in England a couple of months later.
Not yet nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’, Beckenbauer was only 20 years old but already forging a reputation that would be solidified as a result of his performances and success.
Following his passing on Sunday, it’s clear that his genius was evident early as he set about revolutionsing his role as sweeper.
Beckenbauer played twice in Dublin for club and country, that first appearance in May ’66 followed by his arrival with Bayern Munich in November of the same year for a European Cup Winners’ Cup tie with Shamrock Rovers.
In between was the World Cup, and that losing final at Wembley, when Beckenbauer’s star rose and a £200,000 offer from AC Milan was rejected.
Rovers directors Joe and Mary Cunningham met the Bayern players at the arrivals’ hall of Dublin airport, with Beckenbauer at Mrs Cunningham’s side.
He was earning £100 a match at this stage, according to reports, and also had his own insurance business at home in Munich. The tie ended 1-1, again at Dalymount, and was described as “a night of glory for Shamrock Rovers” despite Gerd Muller’s last-minute equaliser.
The Evening Herald heaped praise on “the fabulous Franz” in the build-up, explaining how he “is already well on the way to becoming one of the greatest exponents the game has ever produced . . . and can, in fact, alter his game so smoothly and effectively to come surging forward in that almost irresistible manner of his and work the opportunity to unleash some of those cannonball drives.”
They were left disappointed, though, as Beckenbauer didn’t feel required to get out of second gear. “We never saw the graceful, upfield runs that had made him so famous. He did the job as sweeper-up in defence and only on one or two occasions did [he] advance beyond the half-way line. His class and ability was obvious by the way he dealt with everything that came his way, and he seldom showed great hurry in what he did.”
Rovers almost produced a seismic upset in the return leg, losing 3-2, and Bayern went on to win their first European trophy at the end of that season when they beat Rangers in the final.
By 1979, when West Germany again visited Dublin for a friendly with the Republic of Ireland, Beckenbauer was no longer an international and was instead with New York Cosmos.
Previewing that game in the Evening Echo, under the headline ‘Players or Patterns?’, Brian Glanville wrote: “It seems legitimate to talk of ideals and realities, and to raise a question almost as old as football: do tactics come before players or players before tactics? It is all very well to talk about playing the kind of football Ajax used to play, but it’s worth remembering that they played it thanks mostly to the astonishing, super versatile Johan Cruyff . . .
“It’s worth recording, in any event, ” Glanville continued, “how Total Football began, how it was virtually ‘invented’ by West Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer. Originally a right-half, Beckenbauer admired the Internazionale of Milan teams of the 1960s, particularly the attacking full-back play of Giacinto Facchetti.
“If it could be done by a full-back down the flanks, Beckenbauer reckoned, why could it not equally well be done by a defender from a central position? So Total Football and its attacking sweeper were born. But how many teams possess a Beckenbauer?”
Ten years later he was now manager of West Germany and needed wins from his final two World Cup qualifiers against Finland and Wales to confirm a place at Italia 90.
Just like in the build up ’66, Beckenbauer was back in Dublin although this time he was the one who insisted a friendly be arranged with Jack Charlton’s side.
Ireland had won 10 on the spin at Lansdowne Road and had earned respect with their displays at Euro 88.
It is why the Germans wanted to face the Republic before those two crucial qualifiers having been impressed by Charlton’s impact. “I think it showed great vision to appoint Jack,” Beckenbauer said ahead of that friendly in September 1989.
“He has really boosted the team to such an extent that there is more pride in an Irish player when he pulls on the green jersey than perhaps any other player in the world.
“I specifically requested a fixture against Jack Charlton’s side. A lot of people were surprised by the Republic’s fantastic showing in the European Championships but I wasn’t. The experience of some of their players is second to none. They play in the top leagues in both England and Scotland, and their experience with clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United really shone through.”
The Lansdowne pitch was previously an issue but Beckenbaur added: “It looks lovely and and should be perfect. I did see the Ireland v Spain match on TV and it wasn’t so good then, but of course there has been no rugby on it for a while so everything should be perfect for a good match.”
Germany earned a draw when Hans Dorfner netted an equaliser in the 32nd minute to cancel out Frank Stapleton’s opener, a game that is infamous for Liam Brady being whipped off by Charlton in the first-half.
For Beckenbauer, it was a worthwhile battle of wills as they trounced Finland 6-1 before edging past Wales 2-1 in Cologne.
It was at Italia 90 that he then secured another crowning glory for his legacy by leading his country to World Cup success.