www.TheFA.com4 England v Republic of Ireland 29 May 2013

THE BIG PICTUREThis Euro ‘88 group game in Germany was the last occasion Republic of Irelanddefeated England. Chris Waddle shields the ball from Frank Stapleton and MickMcCarthy (left), but over 90 minutes England couldn’t resist the Irish, who won 1-0.

PICTURE BIG THE PICTURE BIG THE This was Germany in game group ‘88 Euro was Germany in game group ‘88 Euro Ireland of Republic occasion last the

Mick and Stapleton Frank from ball the shields Waddle Chris England. defeated Mick and Stapleton Frank from ball the shields Waddle Chris England. defeated1-0. won who Irish, the resist couldn’t England minutes 90 over but (left), McCarthy

OPENING SHOT

29 May 2013 England v Republic of Ireland 5www.TheFA.com

REP.OF IRELANDAfter reachingEuro 2012, the Irish are nowhoping to qualify for theWorldCupnext year

The glory days of 1990 seem alittle distant, but after reachingEuro 2012 things are looking upfor a return to the world stage.

If Scotland’s Gary Mackay was an Irish hero inNovember 1987, scoring that famous goal inSofia to defeat Bulgaria 1-0 and inadvertantlysecure Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland teama berth at Euro '88 (and their first majorinternational championship), then David Alabacould be the player who has spoiled theRepublic’s play-off chances for Brazil with a lategoal for Austria at the Aviva Stadium in March.The Irish drew 0-0 with Sweden in

Stockholm on 22 March and four days later,against Austria in Dublin, it looked like thereturn from the two qualifiers would be fourpoints, but then Alaba struck that equaliser.With five qualifying games to be played it’s

now going to be tough for the Irish as theybattle with Sweden and Austria for the runners-up spot, with Germany eight points clear at the

top of Group C. However, both GiovanniTrapattoni and his players remain confident ofthe task in hand (see over page for interviewswith both the manager and forward Simon Cox).It took England World Cup winner Jack

Charlton, who became manager in March 1986,to show them the way. Just 20 months laterthe Republic had qualified for Euro ’88, thanks inpart to that Mackay goal. Then Jack got themto the World Cup Finals for the first time in1990, and the good times continued at USA ’94.Mick McCarthy, a captain under Charlton,

lost two play-offs, against Belgium for France’98 and Turkey for the Euro 2000 Finals, butmade it at the third attempt. Ireland qualifiedfrom the group stages with Germany at the2002 World Cup Finals but were beaten in thelast 16 by Spain on penalties.Trapattoni seemed made for the Irish; born

on St Patrick’s Day, his team were denied atleast a penalty shoot-out by Thierry Henry’shand-ball in 2009, but made it to Poland forEuro 2012 via the play-offs.

COACH Giovanni TrapattoniCAPTAIN Robbie KeaneSTADIUM Aviva StadiumHONOURS 1990 World Cupquarter finalsFIRST INTERNATIONAL1-0 v Bulgaria , France, 28 May 1924LAST RESULT 2-2 v Austria,Dublin 26 March 2013BIGGEST WIN 8-0 v Malta, Dublin,16 November 1983BIGGEST DEFEAT 0-7 v Brazil,Uberlandia, 27 May 1982MOST-CAPPED PLAYERShay Given (125 caps) 1996-2012TOP SCORER Robbie Keane(54 goals) 1997-DOMESTIC LEAGUE It may berare for a member of the Irish squad,

in recent times, toplay in their homecountry, but thereis a striving Leagueof Ireland. The

current Premier Divisionwas founded in 1985 andconsists of 12 teams. Theseason runs from Marchto October and currentchampions Sligo Rovershave qualified for nextseason's ChampionsLeague secondqualifying round.The recognition oftitles dates back to1922 and ShamrockRovers top thechampions tablewith 17 titles.

ATAGLANCE

The Republic of Ireland's World Cup record

IN NUMBERS

Goals scored andconceded inWorldCup tournaments

Percentage of gameswon inWorld Cupqualifying since 1934

The final score in the Republic's first everWorld Cuptournament game – against England in 1990

10 39

1–1Ireland's Kevin

Sheedy and Italy'sRoberto Donadonibattle for the ball

THEN AND NOW…Compared to EURO

2012 a number of theteam's most experiencedplayers will be missingfrom the team sheet,including Aston Villagoalkeeper SHAY

GIVEN and Fulhamwinger DAMIEN DUFF,who made his 100th andfinal appearance for theteam in the defeat to Italylast June in the MunicipalStadium Poznan. Wolveswinger STEPHEN

HUNT has been omitted,despite being a part ofthe Euro 2012 squad,while fitness problemshave also denied KEVIN

DOYLE a place in thesquad, with the Wolvesstriker due to undergo anAchilles operation.

SQUADNEWS

WORDSSean Creedon

The Coach / Tactics / Team Profiles / Player interview /

MATCHZONE

29 May 2013 England v Republic of Ireland 33www.TheFA.com

VITAL STATISTICS

29 May 2013 England v Republic of Ireland 47www.TheFA.com

5England’s recentrecord againstRepublic of Ireland ispoor, having drawnthree and lost oneof their last fourmeetings with themin internationalfootball (excludingthe abandonedgame in 1995).

England’s last win against Republic ofIreland was back in 1985 – a 2-1 win in afriendly at Wembley, thanks to goals fromTrevor Steven and Gary Lineker.

Rooney nowhas 35 goalsfor England –the fifthhighest goalscorer inEngland’shistory and isjust five goalsaway fromMichael Owenin fourth place(with 40goals).

STATATTACK!Everything you need to know about the two sides battling it out this evening

Wayne Rooney has scored in fivesuccessive England appearancesand in six of his last seven games.

TRAVELSICK

The Three Lions havescored in every one oftheir 17 internationalfriendlies atWembleyStadium since it wasrebuilt and opened inMarch 2007.

GOALFESTUnder Trapattoni, theIrish have sufferedjust two defeats in22 away games (W9D11), with the twolosses against Spainand Italy.

PLAYINGAWAY

The Three Lions have wonseven of their last nineinternationals againstone of the home nations,with just two defeats toNorthern Ireland in 2005and Scotland in 1999.

5 1-1

3England havesuffered threedefeats in their 17internationalfriendlymatchesat the newWembleyStadium– all comingagainst Europeansides (Germany,France andNetherlands).

The last threemeetings betweenEngland and Irelandhave all ended 1-1.

Republic of Irelandhave failed to scorein five of their lastseven internationalaway games.1Excluding penaltyshoot-outs, England

have one defeat in 15games under RoyHodgson. The lastmanager to lose justone of his first 15games in charge wasGraham Taylor (onedefeat in first 23).

4GiovanniTrapattoni’s sidehave lost only oneof their last nineinternationalfriendlies (W4, D4).

1

INTHEHOMEEND

www.TheFA.com60 England v Republic of Ireland 29 May 2013

Events up and down the country on the Sir BobbyRobson National Football Day will help raiseawareness of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundationwhich focuses on the early detection andtreatment of cancer and the clinical trialsof new drugs that will eventually beat it.To find out how you can help, visit:www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk

“My husband wasimmensely proud torepresent England, both

as a player and a manager,” saysLady Elsie Robson, widow of thelate national team Manager.Yet, despite winning 20 caps

and scoring four goals for England,Robson acknowledged to thiscorrespondent in an interview in2006 that “very few people ask meabout my playing career”. Probablybecause the majority won’t be oldenough to remember the inside-forward who served Fulham (twice)and West Bromwich Albion, as wellas his country, with distinction.“To have come from a small

Durhammining village and to go onto represent his country was sucha big thing,” recalls Lady Elsie. Thebiggest thing of all, according to herhusband: “The best part of yourcareer is your playing days, noquestion,” he said. “People ask mewhat my proudest moment was andI always say it was being asked toplay for my country for the first time.In fact, I would say it was the mostthrilling moment of my life.”It was November 1957 when

Robson, knowing the England teamand subs – “squads came later” –were due to be announced for theupcoming friendly against France atWembley, stopped to buy an eveningnewspaper on the way back fromWolverhampton races with some ofhis West Brom team-mates. “Andthere was my name – R. Robson. ButI couldn’t share my excitement withmy wife because we didn’t evenpossess a telephone back then! I hadto wait until I got home to tell her.”Playing alongside the likes of Tom

Finney and Johnny Haynes, Robsonscored twice in a 4-0 win. “His

parents were so proud,” recalls Elsie.“Bob gave them one of his Englandcaps and they had a glass case madeto display it in their bungalow.”For the next game against

Scotland at Hampden Park, Robsonwas replaced by “a young fella calledBobby Charlton”, but was back in theteam by the time the 1958 WorldCup Finals in Sweden came around.But with Charlton the only one of

Manchester United’s England playersto survive the Munich Air Disasterthat February, Robson has mixedmemories of the time. As well asbeing part of the “the wholecountry’s bereavement”, Robsonbelieved the tragedy affectedEngland’s chances of winning theWorld Cup “considerably”.The 25-year-old started England’s

first three games – describing thesecond against would-be championsBrazil as his most memorable in anEngland shirt – before being replacedfor the group play-off with the SovietUnion, which ended in a 1-0 defeat.“Little did I know it would be my

only World Cup Finals as a player,”said Robson, who scored the openinggoal in England’s 9-3 defeat ofScotland on the way to establishinghimself as a key member of the teamin time for the 1962 tournament,albeit in a slightly more defensiverole. But injury in a warm-up gameruled him out of action in Chile andhis replacement, a 21-year-old calledBobby Moore, did rather well.Proud of his achievements as

an England player although a littleunfulfilled, Robson was “determined”to make up for it as manager whenThe FA came calling in 1982. “It wasno small thing for Bob to give upbeing manager of Ipswich,” insistsLady Elsie of her husband’s domestic

and European success in Suffolk,“We had a wonderful quality of life,but he just didn’t feel he could turnhis country down. For him, it wasa huge honour to be asked and henever took that role for granted.Every game and every result meantthe world to him and I think it’s thatpassion and commitment whichpeople remember so fondly now.”Not to mention a couple of near

misses at the World Cup, narrowlylosing to eventual winners Argentinaand West Germany in the 1986 and1990 Finals respectively.“He was so close to success in

Mexico and Italy and he lovedworking with the England players.They were so supportive of him andhe was never afraid to follow his own

ideas, even when those tacticsweren’t popular with others. It reallywas the pinnacle of his career.”Robson carried that enthusiasm

and work ethic into a post-Englandclub career that took him to Holland,Portugal and Spain, then finally backto his native north-east, wherehe led his beloved Newcastle toa string of top-six finishes.Even during his fifth and final

battle with cancer, which he lostin July 2009, that trademarktenacity was there for all to see.“Bob launched his cancer charity in

2008 and never lost his own boyishenthusiasm for the game,” explainsLady Elsie. “He’d also want to knowthe ins and outs of all the footballplanned for the day, wherever it wasin the country. He always wanted toknow the finer details.”It’s fitting, then, that as part

of The FA150 celebrations, NationalFootball Day on 10 August this yearwill carry the name of the formerEngland manager (and player). “I’mthrilled that The FA is involving myfamily and the Sir Bobby RobsonFoundation in their 150th anniversarycelebrations,” says Lady Elsie. “I’mespecially proud that the NationalFootball Day is being named in Bob’shonour. He’d have loved that.”

For more information on the SirBobby Robson National FootballDay, visit The FA.com/FA150

With The FANational Football Day being named in Sir Bobby Robson’s honour, we recallthe greatman’s England player andmanager days with the help of Lady Elsie Robson

“PEOPLE ASKMEWHATMY PROUDESTMOMENTWASAND I ALWAYS SAY ITWAS BEINGASKED TO PLAY FORMYCOUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME”

“EVERYGAMEMEANT

Robson on the bench atthe 1990 World Cup in

Italy. He managedEngland for eight years,

taking charge of 95 games

MY HUSBAND PLAYED FOR ENGLAND

THEWORLDTOHIM”

Robson in his Englandplaying days. He won atotal of 20 England caps

Words Louis Massarella

29 May 2013 England v Republic of Ireland 61www.TheFA.com

www.TheFA.com74 England v Republic of Ireland 29 May 2013

MY PERFECT

XIXIXIXIXIPretty much any of myback four could be captain!There’s never been a moregritty English left-back.

He’d be my captain, andis an inspiration to alldefenders. Very cool,and the ultimate leader.

I think Des is so underrated– he was world class. Hewas just totally relentlessas a defender.

He was just so consistent– tackle after tackle. Garywas the best all rounderand a great character, too.

A skilful winger with somereal tricks, who can go pastplayers and put crosses in.He beat men with real ease.

Another incredible figure.He was also a leader off thepitch and one of the lads– which I think is important.

I’m putting two Geordies upfront. Peter was such a cleverfootballer and could bothscore and make goals.

When you trained withGazza, some of the stuffhe would do with a ballwas just astonishing.

We just used to call him‘Shots’. He could scorefrom anywhere and wasunbelievable in the air.

I was in the squad the dayhe produced his heroicsagainst Greece. He was aninspirational player.

EnglandU20 coach andformer internationaldefenderUgoEhiogu,who played over 350games forAstonVilla andMiddlesbrough, earnedfour caps for theThreeLions, netting in a 3-0winover Spain in 2001.Nextmonth, he’ll joinPeter Taylor’s staff asEngland U20s embarkon the FIFAWorld Cup inTurkey. England U20sbegin their campaign on23 June against Iraq.They also face Egypt andChile in the group stages.For all the lastest fromthe tournament visit:TheFA.com/EnglandU20sHere, Ugo selects hisall-time England XI…

DAVID SEAMAN

GARY NEVILLE DES WALKERBOBBY MOORE STUART PEARCE

JOHN BARNESBRYAN ROBSON PAUL GASCOIGNEDAVID BECKHAM

PETER BEARDSLEYALAN SHEARER

UGO EHIOGUHe had a great sense ofcalm about him. I’ll haveDavid with no ponytail andmoustache.

WORDSNickMoore

MY PERFECT

XIXIXIXIXIXIXIMY PERFECT

XIXIXI