The World Cup: Memories will be made of this

Not ‘hello’, not ‘good morning’ and not even, ‘Has Niall’s latest editorial forced the resignation of the Pope yet?’ No, it was always just a simple, heartfelt: “It won’t be long now…”

And when I say “in the run-up” to Italia ’90, what I really mean is that he took to reciting this mantra pretty much from the moment the final whistle blew on the 2-0 win in Malta in November 1989 which ensured that Ireland would be taking its place among the football nations of the earth for the very first time the following year.