Scotland did not qualify for Euro 88, but they played their part in sending
Ireland to their first ever major finals
By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog
As the tributes flooded in for Jack Charlton after death earlier this year, his achievements as Republic of Ireland manager were rightly lauded. Before his appointment, the team had never qualified for a major tournament. That soon changed. In a decade in charge, Charlton took the country to Euro 88 and two World Cups, also narrowly missing out on qualification for two more European Championships. He squeezed in a lot during his tenure, while also creating memories for supporters, boosting the national
economy and becoming a national hero.
All of this seemed a pipe dream when Charlton was unveiled as manager at a feisty press conference in February 1986. Johnny Giles and Liam Tuohy had been the favourites for the
Job, with Charlton a distant third when the FAI’s 19-man executive committee met in
Dublin to choose a new manager. But Charlton sneaked home, becoming the first Englishman to manage Ireland.