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Ireland’s first independent
By Richard Early
Mick Meagan, who won a League Championship medal with Everton, was the
first Irish manager allowed to pick his own team.
“As for the future? I hope I will be able to stay in the game after
I have finished playing. At Goodison I took a coaching course and gained
my preliminary certificate. I hope to go to Lilleshall or Crystal Palace
for the full coaching course. And if I get my diploma I might return home
to Ireland — there is a lot of room for coaches over there.”
So said Mick Meagan in 1966 and three years later he was appointed manager
of Ireland.
This was a critical time in the history of the FAI. The old system of
players being chosen by selection committee to represent the country was
under pressure to be replaced by one man — the manager — having
sole responsibility for his team.
Meagan was appointed on the cusp of that change. In his two-year reign,
he presided over a half-way house system in which the selection committee,
which included him, chose a panel of players from which Meagan as manager
selected the final team.
But this development only came about as a result of player power. Johnny
Carey had been manager for 12 years up to 1967, with Charlie Hurley standing
in as player-coach up to the appointment of Meagan. There had been a lot
of dissatisfaction among the players with Carey’s apparent unwillingness
to challenge the FAI and by now things had built up to a head of steam,
the principal malcontent being senior player Johnny Giles.
In 1969, at the time of his appointment, Meagan was player-manger for
Drogheda United having recently returned from playing in England for Everton
and Huddersfield. Charlie Walsh, as director of the Drogheda club and
one of the FAI selectors, successfully sponsored his own man when the
vacancy for manager of Ireland arose. In this time Giles saw the opportunity
for action.
Demonstrating independence Mick Meagan selected himself for the first
game in charge (his final cap) even though the selectors had stipulated
that the manager should not play.
After the match Giles organised a players’ forum from which a committee
was formed, excluding Meagan who should not be seen to be involved. They
requested and held a meeting with the selectors in which they called for
responsibility for team selection to be vested henceforth solely in the
manager.
Heady stuff! Not quite the storming of the Bastille, or the birth of the
Bolshevik Comintern but good stuff anyway. When the case for change is
overwhelming and the establishment remains obdurate people have to take
matters into their own hands. Well done Johnny!
The selectors agreed to deliberate on the players’ demands and the
result was the compromise arrangement of Meagan sitting in with them to
select the squad but ultimately naming his own team.
Mick Meagan was born in Dublin in 1934. As a schoolboy at Milltown Primary
and later at Christian Brothers he played the native game of Gaelic football
and moonlighted with a Working Men’s Schoolboy Soccer team. While
playing for an
Irish Youth XI against a Liverpool County Youth side he was spotted by
Everton and after a month’s trial was signed by the Merseyside club.
He played mainly at left-half or left-back. On one occasion being moved
from midfield to left-back had him worried though: “I didn’t
mind the change of position but I didn’t fancy my chances for the
game was against Spurs who had Cliff Jones at outside right.”
I can understand Mick’s unease. Many times I watched Cliff Jones
from the front of the terraces at White Hart Lane zooming down the wing
a few yards in front of me. Among all of that fabulous company at Tottenham
during the late 1950s and early 1960s Cliff Jones in full flight, skinning
the opposition and lobbing the ball over the advancing keeper into the
net, was the most thrilling sight of all.
But on that occasion Mick was not tested: “Fortunately for me, Cliff
was injured early in the game and was slowed down a lot. And so I had
an easy game. But I must have impressed the boss for he kept me at full-back
for several seasons including 1962/63 when we won the First Division Championship.”
In fact Everton achieved top-five and above finishes in the first five
seasons of the 1960s.
For three of the years Meagan was at Everton his manager was fellow Dubliner
Johnny Carey. He was also the Ireland manager and it was under Carey (but
not selected by him!) that Meagan collected the first of his 17 caps in
1961.
In 1964 Mick left Everton for second division Huddersfield Town in an
exchange deal that brought Ray Wilson (later to become one of England’s
World Cup-winning team) to Goodison Park. He stayed with Town for four
years. On commenting about the changes on dropping down a division he
said at the time: “Generally speaking there is less finesse and
a lot more bodily contact but at Huddersfield we are told to play good
football — and it seems to be paying off.”
A contemporary match report had this to say: “Meagan is a truly
great asset to the side. Don’t take my word for it, ask any of the
other players. He is not only a splendid reader of the game — Meagan
also displays remarkable alacrity in working the ball, meticulously and
coolly, out of dicey situations.”
The alacrity has doubtless long gone but amazingly Mick is still playing
the odd game! I discovered a couple of items recently posted by Everton
fans who had been delighted to meet Mick in Dublin and find him still
playing the game he loves — annual charity matches and the like.
All kitted out and still with a full head of hair he looks hale and sprightly
in the photos.
However, interestingly, both writers have independently added 10 years
to his age — in the most recent report: “Mick might be 84
next birthday and have arthritic knees but he can still play footie…he
met us in the local hostelry after the kick-around and told us stories
from years gone by.”
Well, I am just wondering if some of those stories were a little tall.
You see, I have a picture of a lively septuagenarian who enjoys a bit
of devilment at the expense of a younger audience. When Huddersfield Town’s
junior squad visited Dublin not so long ago their academy chief was delighted
that Mick met them and gave a talk to the youngsters. On describing the
occasion The Huddersfield Daily Examiner reported that: “Meagan,
who lives in Churchtown, is keeping well despite sore hips and knees.
He swims in the sea 365 days a year and plays golf almost as regularly.”
Now Mick, I know there are people who take a dip in the sea at Christmas
time, because it’s some sort of tradition for the unhinged, but
365 days a year…really? You can beat me with your shillelagh if
I doubt you.
After two years at the helm of the good ship Ireland Liam Tuohy took over
from Meagan. He finally had complete control over team selection but Meagan
had overseen that transitional stage from a selection committee to complete
independence of selection by the manager. His legacy was to put an end
to the situation where the players tended to influence their selection
by playing to the crowd, because crowd reaction influenced the selectors.
Joe Haverty, Arsenal’s winger, said: “When you played for
the international team you played for yourself first and if you had a
good game you were in the next time. If you played for the team and the
team lost you could be out.”
Another international, Alfie Hale, received this advice from Charlie Hurley:
“If things go wrong I’ll do a few dribbles and get the crowd
on my side and my advice to you is to do the same if you want to keep
your place.”
After leaving Drogheda United as player-coach in 1974 Mick continued for
another two years with Shamrock Rovers.
This article acknowledges his role in the evolution and development of
the management of Irish international football.
Mick Meagan, winner of an English League champions medal, manager of change,
swimmer extraordinaire, 73 years young.
What do you think? Was Mick Meagan the greatest, if not who was? Write
to Ronan Early, Sports Editor, The Irish Post, 1st Floor, West Wing, 26-28
Hammersmith Grove, Hammersmith, London W6 7HA or e-mail: ronanearly@irishpost.co.uk |
