JACK CHARLTON was back in Dublin yesterday, putting in appearances at Lansdowne Road where he launched a new advertising campaign for Airtricity and the airport hotel where his successor, Giovanni Trapattoni, was naming his squad for the forthcoming games against Russia and Slovakia.
The former Ireland boss has been invited to return again for the Russia game but said he had already arranged to go fishing on the dates in question. When the news was met with laughter from the journalists present, Charlton insisted: “I’m serious. I bought a timeshare on the Tay about five years ago. And every year I have to pay 2,200 quid to get on the river. It’s something I’ve got to do.”
Clearly in good spirits, Charlton expressed sympathy for Trapattoni over the refereeing decision in Paris that contributed to Ireland’s exit from the World Cup at the final hurdle before South Africa.
“I thought he (Trapattoni) was very unlucky when they bloody allowed that goal. It completely changed the game. It was one of those bad moments because we were looking like we might get a good result. I’m talking about “we”. I’m still talking about “we”!”
He was asked who he would advise his grandson, John, to play for given the youngster was born in England but qualifies for Ireland thanks to his mother, Deirdre. “Definitely Ireland,” he replied before adding with much the same vehemence: “And if I was at Wembley, it would be definitely England.”
