Jason McAteer casually sweeps the ball past Edwin Van Der Sar with the finesse of Zinedine Zidane and Ireland are through to the 2002 World Cup. There were wins over Cyprus and Iran still to come, but really that was the moment we knew.
Ireland went unbeaten in a group containing Netherlands and Portugal and we felt on top of the world. It may have gone down hill since 2002 but we'll always have the memories and Mick McCarthy is no different in that regard. He went head to head with Louis Van Gaal in Lansdowne Road that day and came out on top. 14 years later he's looking to do the same again when his Ipswich side take on Man United in the Capital One Cup tonight.
Unsurprisingly, McCarthy has been asked about that meeting this week and one thing that has come up is the bit of needle that went on between the two managers in the build up to the clash in 2001.
Back in the day, Van Gaal had been suggesting that McCarthy could be on the look out for a new job if Ireland failed to qualify for the World Cup. Those obvious mind games didn't work and it was actually the Dutchman who was out of a job before long.
Asked about Van Gaal's comments from back then, McCarthy yesterday delivered the kind of response that we've come to expect from him.
I can tell you I was absolutely fucking delighted to win that one. But that’s gone and finished now.
It was all starting to annoy me at the time because they were all booking their hotels and getting ready to be in the play-offs.
Given that 14 years have passed between then and now, the Ipswich boss did however decide to cool things before anyone started getting any ideas about a feud continuing to bubble away.
Unfortunately for Louis, one of you guys will have asked ‘do you think Mick McCarthy’s job will be under pressure if they lose?’ And he will have answered honestly and said ‘it probably will.
Still, we said he was 'fucking delighted' so that's good enough for us.
[Ipswich Star]
