The following passage is taken from Keane: The Autobiography, which is available to buy here
AFTER TRIPS WITH the Irish team, players would go back to their club at the end of an international week and swap stories with English players and those from other nations about the weird but wonderful Ireland camp.
Everyone had a laugh at the Irish. No one laughed harder than the Irish players telling the stories about the cock-ups, piss-ups and the various impediments you faced as a professional player representing your country. When I was young I told stories. And laughed.
Here’s a good one from Ireland’s qualifying campaign for Euro 96 – towards the end of Big Jack’s time as national team manager.
Because of injury I played only three or four games from the qualifiers. But Dennis Irwin and Paul McGrath were witnesses to this story.
(Ireland’s Tommy Coyne (centre) battles for the ball with Austria’s Christian Prosenik (left) and Johann Kogler during the 1995 European Championship qualifying group six clash at Lansdowne Road in Dublin – PA/PA Archive/Press Association Images)
Ireland were at home to Austria in a vital qualifying game. The day before the match, the team went to Lansdowne Road for a training session. On the way they stopped at a branch of Harry Ramsden’s on the Naas Road.
The photographers were on hand to capture the Irish team tackle their first big challenge of the week: Harry’s Challenge, a giant-sized haddock with chips and beans or peas, with a sweet to follow.
Eat up, lads, urged Jack. Some of the lads tucked into Harry’s Challenge. Then off to Lansdowne Road for the final training session.
Yes, Austria won 3-1. Some of the lads reported that their legs ‘went’ twenty minutes from the end. F**ked. But they’d passed Harry’s Challenge.
(Austria’s Toni Polster (not in picture) scores from a free kick – INPHO/James Meehan)
The story went down a treat in the dressing rooms around England.
Significantly, Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 96 because of that defeat. Holland beat them easily in a play-off game at Anfield. That was Harry’s Challenge.
YouTube credit: jonathanjackson
YouTube credit: CuChoileain
Here’s another challenge for you, Roy: Is it possible for you to Captain you country to a World Cup finals and actually bother turning up for the matches? Just a thought.
And here’s a challenge for you figure out the results for our qualifying for that world cup and then realise we would never have made it without Roy to get us there in the first place
Or without Shay Given, Damien Duff or Robbie Keane. How did a “one man team” manage to draw with the eventual finalists and get out of the group? Where was Roy in Tehran when Ireland needed their best player and captain?
Reading triggs. Ill give ya the reason for your question when i get to that part.
Colm- what’s that got to do with anything? Never said he wasn’t a great player. Just a terrible Irishman.
Jesus Kevin are you still bitter!!
Yawn.
Writing a book??
Kevin. Yes it is. I think someone feels a little threatened by Roy.
Jason. And what did duff, given, robbie keane do when roy was gone. Answer – not much.
Apart from the initial rally at the start of the World Cup they wussied out.
And then the next campaign was a joke. They flopped like the wussies they are.
God bless Roy
Sorry I forgot loosing to Spain on penalties was the sign of a team woosing out.
After Roy left the three players mentioned went on to win 100+ caps for their country. I presume you thought Roy Keane was the major driving force behind Manchester United aswel? They seem to have done alright since they decided Roy wasn’t worth the hassle any longer.
Roy was back for the following campaign when Brian Kerr was manager. Germany 2006. Finished 4th in the Group.
Put a sock in it Kevin,Roy was the reason we got to that World Cup
One reason. Many other top players there as well at that time.
Dems were the days ( how much did Jack pocket?? )
I thought jack had a stake in it,maybe thats were i got the idea from
No no, he had a steak in it Shane. Medium rare
There was a Harry Ramsdons on the mass road?
Yes, where Woodies is now
Sorry lads does it not say that he had Haddock not steak !
Keano Keano
Typical inane supporter of the traitor
Judging by the title, I thought it was Roy talking about something other than himself.
How silly of me ……
Roy Keane single handedly got us to the World Cup Finals in 2002. I was very confident of a good placing in those finals. But then Saipan happened. Niall Quinn (mother teresa) and staunton proved Roy had been wronged when they asked him back. It was a huge disapointment that he didnt return. But as he said himself the damage was done.
He may not be the most diplomatic person in the world but he was and is a LEGEND.
God bless Roy.
Roy threw the rattler out of the pram and let his country down. Great player, poor judgement. Try giving out about your boss to a journalist and see what happens.
agh hughie come on, the FAI couldn’t afford the rattle or organise the pram for it to be thrown out of! ha!
Remember the game well was in a foul humour for a month after
Strewth Sheila, Win lose or draw there’ll be no shortage of shrimps on the barbie in Temple Bar tonight
At least the boys played. They didn’t go home. Keane’s legs often went in the pub after the game.
Will Austria bring another non-Irish managers reign to an end. I remember these games, Austria had a team full of guys with eighties hair-cuts, mullets were laughed at in the nineties making these defeats were even more bad. Ireland battered them for the whole game, missing sitters, then finally when we scored our guys just fell apart. Keane blames Harry Ramsdens but what was the excuse for the 3-1 defeat in Austria for the next game. Also we only got a play-off because Northern Ireland ended up hammering Austria in the final series of matches (could have done with a united Ireland in 95). We were in serious decline that year anyway so I dont think many of the players other than Keane would regret the Ramsdens incident.
Dave the amount of thumbs on your comment are 3 down and one up…. the score listed in the article above… and the thumbs down are red and the thumbs up are green…. oh god!!!
I was at that game in the east stand. I remember it well. Couldn’t believe we lost on the day.