Fast start not always signpost to future

“It was tremendous, a bit of a fairytale.”

It’s not how most Ireland fans remember his reign but in Steve Staunton’s defence he was right at the time. He said it after his ill-fated spell as Ireland manager began with a sparkling 3-0 friendly victory over a Sweden side that would reach the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup finals just three months later.

Irish fans hoped it was a sign of things to come; ultimately it was a false dawn.