Former Ireland manager Liam Tuohy has passed away at the age of 83.
The man described by the FAI today as "one of the was one of the most beloved figures in Irish football" was one of the most influential figures in the game in this country for decades.
FAI pays its respects to the family of Liam Tuohy - https://t.co/6NfpcVl0Ep pic.twitter.com/xz3noUeDVa
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) August 13, 2016
Very sad news today of the passing of @ShamrockRovers & @FAIreland legend Liam Tuohy RIP pic.twitter.com/VUSm7nYtSi
— Shamrock Rovers FC ☘️ (@ShamrockRovers) August 13, 2016
"Supporters of football will feel a great sense a loss at the passing of Liam Tuohy":https://t.co/5dFS1NnZ95 pic.twitter.com/gwKopvhaO2
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) August 13, 2016
The Shamrock Rovers legend earned 8 caps playing on Ireland's wing and has the distinction of scoring the first Ireland goal ever in the European championships when he found the back of the net against Czechoslovakia in 1959.
Tuohy, who was affectionately known as 'rasher', won four league titles with Shamrock Rovers and won the FAI Cup an incredible eight separate times as a player.
The Dubliner later graduated to the manager's role in the national team between 1971 and 1973 and became the first man to coach an Irish side at a World Cup, leading Ireland's youth team at the 1985 World Youth Cup in the USSR. His assistant in that tournament was future Ireland manager Brian Kerr and he spoke to Today FM today to emphasise just how imporant Tuohy had been to Irish football.
Kerr said:
He was a mentor for me and hundreds of other young coaches. We were privileged to spend some time with him. It's a day of sadness. I'd love to pass on my condolences to his family. But it's also a day of memories of a great person who made a massive contribution to Irish football as a player, as a player-manager with Shamrock Rovers in the glorious era of the 60's. He made an absolutely amazing contribution to the Irish team and it was all done with passion and guile.
