Ireland on the cusp of something special

"My expectation is we're going to be in America next year."

Words from Ireland assistant coach Paddy McCarthy, uttered with absolute sincerity and belief on the eve of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Crystal Palace stalwart has watched the team emerge from adversity throughout the last 12 months under the guidance of new manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, and he is convinced that the current squad are on the cusp of something special heading into the opening game against Hungary on Saturday evening.

"Definite progress" is what McCarthy has witnessed since agreeing to be part of the coaching ticket for his national side, which started under John O'Shea’s interim time in charge in the summer of 2024.

And McCarthy said that it was a no-brainer to answer his country’s call, and has remained involved since Hallgrimsson took the reins ahead of the last Nations League campaign.

Those opening six games were a mixed bag for the new regime, with four humbling defeats to England and Greece, while two victories against Finland offered hope ahead of the 2025 calendar year.

That started with two hard-fought wins over Bulgaria, home and away, to maintain their Nations League second-tier status, and it also signalled the emergence of a more resilient Irish side, securing two come-from-behind wins.

"I am seeing patterns, I am seeing resilience," said McCarthy, speaking to the media this week.

"I think back to the two Bulgaria games, we go a goal behind, maybe previously this young team might not have had the capabilities of getting back into the game.

"Some lads with 30-odd caps are now the more experienced players in the team, they have been through a lot of adversity, and my belief is they have grown through that adversity.

"Any success story in sport will always have that, it's a definite that adversity is before success and I believe that although it was tough times before and they had a lot of criticism, maybe unjust, but we are on the cusp of something and I hope the players show their true capabilities as I am confident going into this campaign."

McCarthy has also told the players that they are good enough to qualify and added that he would not be taking time out from a very busy job at Crystal Palace if he felt that they had no chance.

"I hope so," said the Dubliner, when asked did the players believe they can qualify.

"I hope they understand I wouldn’t lie to them, hope they know I have a very busy job back in England and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think they had the capabilities of qualifying for this tournament.

"So I want to work with great players and I feel we have great potential in this team at the moment and have seen the growth on and off the pitch in their confidence and stature.

"And I have felt an energy shift from you guys as well (the media), and an energy shift from the Irish public in general in support of this team.

"I think everyone is going into this campaign with a belief that we can qualify and the players are, from what I have seen and felt in the hotel and on the training pitch we just came off, I have really felt that.

"So I am looking forward to Saturday. Like I said, and I will reiterate, we will respect each opposition, but we will also have a great belief in what we can do and who we are."

McCarthy also took time to pay tribute to Hallgrimsson who he feels deserves most of the plaudits for turning the team around over the last 12 months, while also acknowledging the thankless task that Stephen Kenny performed for giving so many players vital experience.

"I think the great work that was done before has to be recognised, because there was a lot of great work to bed these young players and give them opportunity and recycle the team and put us in this position now.

"But certainly the manager has come in and I believe he has implemented his ideas quite quickly and has given autonomy to myself and John (O’Shea) to do what we want to do.

"His personality is very evident and that is infectious and I think any team is a representation of the manager and I think you will have seen that in the last number of games."

McCarthy had a long playing career in England, however, he never managed to win a senior cap, having represented Ireland from Under-17 to U21 level.

But the Edenmore man admits that he is in dreamland at the moment working for his long-time club, Palace, while helping with the national team.

"Any time my country calls me, I will be there in any capacity," he said. "As a player, I didn’t maybe didn’t get the caps I would have liked, but there are reasons for that.

"When I came into my prime, I suffered a lot with injuries, probably before that, maybe a lack of experience and maybe a little bit too ill-tempered and hot-headed. So there are reasons why I didn’t get the caps I potentially deserved.

"But yeah, absolutely I'm here now today. I'm humbled by the opportunity. I'm deeply grateful for getting a phone call when John rang me, it was a complete no-brainer, it was a straight yes.

"Then to be afforded and approved by the football club to allow me to do it alongside my day-to-day job, I mean, it's dreamland stuff and I'm hoping that I've made some sort of impact on the team and I can help get where we want to get it."

When Ireland last played at the World Cup in 2002, a 19-year-old McCarthy was taking his first tentative steps in English league football, while coming through at Manchester City.

And his memories of Ireland’s remarkable voyage throughout the group stages and into the knockout phase in Japan and Korea?

"Oh, my memory of that World Cup is probably Santa Ponsa in a bar with my friends," he pondered with a smile on his face.

"Quinn flicked it on and Robbie Keane scored the goal, so good memories.

"The Spain game, I’d just found out that my wife Niamh was pregnant, so there was a lot going on in my life at that moment alongside obviously being at Manchester City and looking to progress my career, fighting for a career in the game.

"So these moments inspire a generation like myself in '94 and 1990, people that were involved in that are legendary.

"I still see Charlie O’Leary in the presidential box after the game. He is a legend in my eyes because he lived close by where I’m from in Edenmore, he’s from Harmonstown, just by being the kit man in them competitions, he’s held in legendary status.

"What a guy, what an inspirational figure. So we have an opportunity now to inspire the next generation.

"I’ve got a 22-year-old son, a 15-year-old son who’ve never seen Ireland play in a World Cup.

"So Saturday, we go into it looking to achieve that, looking to inspire a nation. That’s the ambition, that’s the objective."

Watch Republic of Ireland v Hungary in World Cup qualifying on Saturday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

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