There are few figures in Irish sport more revered and respected than Paul McGrath. When McGrath speaks about Irish football, you tend to sit forward and listen.
The 1993 PFA Player of the Year won 83 caps for his country during a 12-year career - with almost all of those coming during the Jack Charlton, the most celebrated and successful in the national team's history.
Given the fact that McGrath spent so much of his career lining out under Jack Charlton in the greatest Irish team in history, it was fascinating that his mind went straight to the great man when he was asked about the current state of the Ireland side under Heimir Hallgrímsson.
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Paul McGrath makes intriguing Hallgrímsson - Charlton comparison
Before last month's UEFA Nations League opener against England, Paul McGrath shared a brilliant video on social media. It simply showed the view out of his car coming up the N11 towards Dublin, blaring Christy Moore's 'Joxer Goes to Stuttgart.'
Paul McGrath heading up the N11 listening to Joxer Goes To Stuttgart.
Game on.pic.twitter.com/84WMHXopu7— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) September 7, 2024
Though the eventual 2-0 defeat to the old enemy took some of the wind out of Irish fans' sails, McGrath insists that some patience is due for the new man in charge.
"I think it’s tough for a man to come in and suddenly be in charge of the Irish team," McGrath told us on Wednesday. "He’s got to learn the nature of the players and stuff like that. You don’t [do that] in two games, or five games, or ten, maybe even 20 games.
"[But] I know we’re an international team, so they have to learn quicker, and they should because they’re internationals."
McGrath won his first cap for his country against Italy in Dalymount Park in 1985 under the stewardship of Eoin Hand. Less than a year later, Jack Charlton had taken over as gaffer.
When asked about Heimir Hallgrímsson's arrival as the new Ireland manager, McGrath spun off to compare it to the arrival of Charlton at the start of 1986.
The ex-Manchester United and Aston Villa star said that he felt Charlton had been "lucky" by comparison with the experience of the Irish squad he took charge of.
I think we were lucky, and I think Jack was lucky…he had that nucleus of players that wanted to do so well for Ireland. We were all of a certain…how do I say it, “vintage,” something like that. We wanted to win, we were all mature enough to know that some of the players were towards the end of their careers but still wanted Ireland to have that taste of winning even one or two games.
Suddenly, when we did start winning one or two games, we wanted more. Then, you suddenly start thinking, ‘You know what? We’re not a bad group of players.’
The football we were playing wasn’t really to everyone’s taste, to be honest, but it was a way we had of beating teams, so Jack kind of stuck to it for a while. We annoyed teams, but it was our way of playing football.
I know some of the football wasn’t the best but it got us results and Jack stuck to it, which was brilliant on his part.
The stature of Jack Charlton in the world game also helped him to settle into the job.
McGrath tells us that the Ireland squad would have instantly run through walls for Charlton, a World Cup winner in 1966.
We had an instant respect for him.
He was a World Cup winner, if he had said, ‘Run up to Dundalk and back here,’ we’d have done it because he’s a World Cup winner. Whatever he said went.
He was such a likeable man that it was easy to do what you’re told.
That is not to say or even infer there is no intrinsic respect from the current Ireland squad for the new boss - but there is something different about someone like Jack Charlton.
There was clearly a special connection between McGrath and Charlton, something he has referenced in the past.
"Me in particular, I was delighted that he was there," McGrath says. "He was a very funny man and he allowed you certain leeways after games. Not to the extent that you could go messing or something like that but…he was a very likeable person"
The love that Paul McGrath continues to hold for the Ireland team is clear from the passion with which he speaks not only about Jack Charlton but for his hopes for the future of Irish football.
Irish fans cannot reasonably expect Heimir Hallgrímsson to reach the same heights scaled by Charlton's team in the '80s and '90s. However, if he can create the same connection with the current squad as that described by Paul McGrath between Charlton and his team, Hallgrímsson will be on the right track.
Paul McGrath has joined forces with Pringles to champion men's mental health throughout the Movember campaign.
Speaking to us on Wednesday about the importance of the charity drive, McGrath said:
It’s to bring a bit of awareness to men’s mental health. I was asked by Pringles and was delighted to do it. Anything that opens it up to the public, especially men, is something I love doing.
I think men in particular do tend to hide their feelings a little bit, so it’s great that they’ve teamed up and that this is happening.
Paul McGrath Teams Up With Pringles this Movember To Champion Men’s Mental Health 9/10/2024. Pictured is former Ireland international Paul McGrath who has teamed up with Pringles this Movember to champion men’s mental health. McGrath will serve as Pringles ambassador for its Movember campaign which is encouraging men to talk about their mental health. Throughout October, special edition Pringles tubes will feature a QR code that will bring users to the Mo Conversations tool which offers advice for people on how to open a dialogue with men about their mental health. Photo: INPHO/Ben Brady
Movember encourages men to open up about their mental health, with growing a moustache being the most visible form of fundraising favoured by men around the world.
"I try hard to get the old moustache going," says McGrath when I ask him if he himself will be looking to add to his facial hair. "Not just yet…November."
Irish football legend Paul McGrath spoke to Balls.ie as he joined forces with Pringles to champion men's mental health throughout Movember. McGrath will serve as Pringles ambassador for its Movember campaign which is encouraging men to talk about their mental health.
