Jack Charlton, the former England defender, a key member of the 1966 World Cup winning team, passed away on 10th July following a long illness. His death, at the age of 85, was met, in the Republic of Ireland, ironically, of all places, with great sorrow and the shedding of many tears.
The 6’ 3” tall Charlton was a late blooming centre-half who, lived in the shadow of his younger and more illustrious brother Bobby, a bustling midfielder of Manchester United fame. A Busby Babe survivor of the 1958 Munich air disaster, Bobby would go on to set England records for appearances and goal scoring. Jack, who made his English debut in November 1965, just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday, formed an important tandem in defence with England Captain Bobby Moore. Jack would go on to play a crucial role in England’s defeat of West Germany in the final, with the Charlton brothers among the eight members of the England squad to appear in all six games of the 1966 finals.
Charlton spent his entire playing career with Leeds United, during which time the club rose from the ranks of the Second Division to challenge the hierarchy of the First Division, whilst making a clean sweep of all domestic honours. In 1973, the football writers bestowed the highly coveted Player of the Year award on Charlton. When Charlton finally hung up his boots at the age of 38, he had appeared in a record 762 competitive games for Leeds, whilst scoring 96 goals. In 37 matches in England colours, Charlton found the back of the net on six occasions.
Charlton then transitioned to football management where he outshone his more talented sibling. A highly successful spell at Middlesborough, during which the club won promotion to the top tier division, was followed by stints at Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesborough (short term), and Newcastle United.
In December 1985, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) approached Charlton about managing the national team, after they failed to get their first choice, former Liverpool boss, Bob Paisley. In Ireland, football was regarded as the ‘Garrison Game’ in reference to the British troops stationed there, and took second place to Gaelic football. Ireland, a minnow in European football, had never qualified for a major tournament. Charlton, known for his tough as nails approach to the game as a player, was up for the challenge of popularizing the game and lifting the standard of play, fully aware that as one of the despised Englishmen, his appointment was not going to be readily accepted.
As a manager, Charlton had gained a reputation for his unorthodox approaches to the job. He informed the first Irish team he selected for the encounter with Wales in March 1986 that the days of Ireland being a push over were finished and from thereon Ireland was going to be physical and combative. Viewed with suspicion from the inception by the general population, Charlton’s teams started winning games. Making full use of the qualification rules Charlton, the first foreigner to run Irish football, searched high and low for eligible players in putting together Ireland’s squads.
Instilled with a new sense of pride, the Republic of Ireland topped their group to qualify for the 1988 European Championships held in West Germany. Drawn in a tough group with England, Holland and the Soviet Union, Ireland beat England, held the Soviets to a draw, only to lose to Holland 0 – 1, on a late goal, when a draw would have ensured a place in the next round. While Holland beat the Soviet Union in the final to win the tournament, Ireland had served the world with notice of their intentions.
Two years later, Charlton had guided the Republic to the World Cup Finals in Italy, where against all odds the plucky Irish battled their way to the quarter-finals before falling to the hosts 0 – 1. Over half a million people lined the streets of Dublin to welcome the team’s return. Disappointment at failing to qualify for the 1992 European Championships by a single point, was soon forgotten as the team made it to the 1994 World Cup Finals in the USA. In the opening match they avenged the 1990 loss to Italy with a similar score line, before losing to Mexico and holding Norway to a draw to qualify for the next round. Charlton, who was suspended for the latter game by FIFA following an argument with an official, watched from the commentary booth.
After the game was finished, with Ireland’s place in the next round assured, Giants Stadium, packed with spectators of Irish descent rose to its feet and started chanting, “We want Jack, We want Jack,” and never stopped until he appeared on the field ten minutes later. The Republic of Ireland would depart in the next round courtesy of the Dutch, but was no longer regarded as a minnow in the football world. Charlton resigned in 1995 after his charges missing out for qualifying for the 1996 European Championships.
During his time in charge of the Republic of Ireland football side Charlton’s impact on the nation cannot be quantified in terms of the number of games won and lost. Yes, he is their most successful manager ever, but his impact on the nation is what he is fondly remembered for. His influence extended to social and political spheres, as he succeeded in uniting Republicans and Nationalists. In 1996, Charlton was presented with the highest honour granted by the Irish state, honorary citizenship. It amounts to full citizenship and is rarely given.
While Jack Charlton will forever be regarded as a legend in the Republic of Ireland, here we can only wait in hope for a similar visionary who can unite us with policies driven by national priorities and not divide us by the pursuit of personal gain
