Houghton: Euro 2012 will lift Irish gloom
Reuters - Thursday 26 April 2012, 14:23
Former Ireland midfielder Ray
Houghton believes that Ireland's participation at Euro 2012 will
be a big boost for a country hard hit by a property crash, a
deep recession and austerity budgets.
"There is a feel-good factor about the national team in
Ireland. They will get behind their team and it will alleviate
the current situation," Houghton told Reuters in an interview.
"The anticipation and the build-up in Ireland is much
bigger than what it is in England, where I live now," said the
former Liverpool and Aston Villa midfielder, who scored
Ireland's first-ever goal at the European finals against England
in 1988.
Houghton's header past Peter Shilton gave Ireland a famous
1-0 victory over their fierce rivals.
Ronnie Whelan bettered that effort with a spectacular volley
in a 1-1 draw with Russia and the Irish were unlucky to lose to
eventual winners Netherlands as they failed to progress in the
eight-team tournament.
After an absence of 24 years, Ireland beat Estonia in the
play-offs to qualify for only the second time and are drawn in
Group C against Croatia, Spain and Italy. The Irish will play
all their group games in Poland.
Houghton believes that they will have to take something from
their opening game against Croatia on June 10 in Poznan to have
any chance of progressing.
"We have to remember that Ireland are up against the last
two winners of the World Cup in Spain and Italy, so that first
game is hugely important. If we don't take something there,
we'll struggle," he said.
Capped 73 times by Ireland, Glasgow-born Houghton was the
architect of two great opening results for Ireland - his header
against England in the 1988 win and the looping shot against
Italy at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, giving Ireland
another precious 1-0 triumph.
"I never get tired of talking about those goals but
hopefully in the future someone else will come along and do
something similar," he said.
Now 50 and working as a television pundit for Irish TV
station RTE, Houghton was at the Bernabeu on Wednesday to see
Spanish leaders Real Madrid go out of the Champions League
semi-finals on penalties to Bayern Munich but he does not see it
as a sign of weakness in Spanish football.
"In fairness, I'd have preferred it if Barcelona and Madrid
had both qualified for the final," he said.
"Now they've both gone out and the league is all but
settled, so the Spain coach will be hoping that some of his
players can get some rest before the finals."
GREAT LOYALTY
Asked which of the Irish players he thought would make the
biggest impression at Euro 2012, he singled out winger Aiden
McGeady, who started his career at Celtic but now plays for
Spartak Moscow in Russia.
"I think Aiden could do it - sometimes he lacks discipline
and his final ball is not always great, but he's improved a lot
since moving to Russia and gotten stronger.
"This could be the tournament where he shows his potential."
Another one to watch is Sunderland winger James McClean.
"I'm not sure if he'll make the squad but I think he should
go. He could give us that little extra that you need in games
like these," Houghton said.
Houghton believes that the current Irish side is better
equipped mentally than his 1988 team.
"We were supposed to come last in the group with no points.
No one gave us a prayer. But we got off to a good start and the
whole country got behind the team," he added.
Prices are rocketing but Houghton still expects many Irish
fans to head to Poland in June despite the economic hardship.
"There's great loyalty there - you see it with the rugby
team and you see it in other sports, but football is their game.
They love it," he said of Irish supporters.