On This Day in 2002: Zizou Magic
On this day in 2002, Zinedine Zidane produced this incredible volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League final to give Real Madrid their ninth European Cup. Is this the best goal in finals’ history?
June 11, 2002: Rep. of Ireland 3 S. Arabia 0
Robbie Keane’s early strike sent Ireland on their way to the second round but nerves weren’t settled until a goal from the unlikeliest of sources, centre-back Gary Breen. Damien Duff, one of the stars of the tournament finally got on the score-sheet to seal the win and give us one of the most iconic celebrations in Irish sport.
June 5, 2002: Rep. of Ireland 1 Germany 1
Trailing 1-0 with the game in injury time, Ireland’s hopes of advancing from the groups stages looked dead and buried. Until an old fashioned punt up field found its way to Robbie Keane, the only man to beat Oliver Khan until Brazil’s Ronaldo scored two in the final.
June 1, 2002: Rep. of Ireland 1 Cameroon 1
After all the traumatic build-up to the World Cup, Ireland took to the field without their best player and influential captain. How would the team react and who would step up to the plate?
Happy Birthday Big Mick
Today’s is former Captain Fantastic Mick McCarthy’s 55th birthday. In honour of his post-match outburst after Ipswich’s game with Leeds, here’s some memorable quotes from the ex-Ireland boss.
Ireland Manager: Mark ’02
With the news that the FAI plan to bide their time with the appointment of a new manager, we’re likely to see some new names enter the race. The last Irish squad to qualify for a World Cup could yet prove a breeding ground for future coaches of the national team. With many of the class of ’02 dipping their toes in the management waters, and the two main protagonists Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane among the contenders to succeed Giovanni Trapattoni, Diarmuid o hAinle looks at alternatives to the seemingly manager-elect Martin O’Neill.
The Saipan Incident – Conclusions
With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you the final extract from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, detailing his conclusions of the sorry saga. This is the Saipan Incident.
The Saipan Incident – Part 4
With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you Part 4, the penultimate extract from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, focusing on the fall-out and player’s reaction from Keane’s infamous tirade. This is the Saipan Incident.
The Saipan Incident – Part 3
With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you Part 3 of our extracts from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, focusing on the timeline of events in the build-up to the confrontation. This is the Saipan Incident, the Countdown to Meltdown.
The Saipan Incident – Part 2
With the tenth anniversary of Irish football’s civil war upon us, Póg Mo Goal brings you Part 2 of our extracts from John Kiberd’s astonishing body of work on the subject, focusing on the history of communication issues between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy. This is ‘The Saipan Incident’.