Jason McAteer: Shane Long rocket no match for Dutch destroyer

The celebrated 1-0 win against Germany last year was widely regarded as the most significant Irish football result delivered in Dublin since victory, by the same margin, against the Netherlands in 2001, when Jason McAteer’s famous goal secured crucial points for Mick McCarthy’s team en route to the World Cup finals in Japan and Korea.

And, despite the huge excitement generated by Shane Long’s dramatic winner at the Aviva in October, the former Liverpool man who scored the decisive goal at Lansdowne Road 14 years earlier, maintains that the game against the Dutch still reigns supreme.

“It put a smile on my face when people started talking about it, but I just think that, as good as that (Germany) result was, the Dutch game was by far the better game,” says McAteer.

“We were down to 10 men, the Dutch were a fantastic outfit, as the Germans are, and they had proper world-class players throughout the team. I think the fact that they came to score as many goals (as they could), that they’d booked their hotel and their flights (for the finals) and the fact that we put it all to bed by winning 1-0, was brilliant.

“It wasn’t just the goal, it was that we hung on for about 20 minutes. That togetherness and unity came through that day. And (Louis) van Gaal went soon afterwards. It was one of the greatest memories you’ll ever have at Lansdowne. But yeah, (Shane Long’s goal) was a close second!”

A close second to his own strike? “Yeah, it wasn’t just a lump up the pitch, was it?,” he laughs. “I just think, collectively, our game, not just the goal, but our game, was miles better than the Germany game.”

McAteer also believes that, in contrast to the teams he played with which qualified for the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, the current Irish side is entirely lacking in world class talent.

“Miles away,” is how far he thinks the France 2016 generation lag behind their illustrious predecessors, Irish sides which he feels were blessed with at least “a sprinkling” of top quality personnel.

“I was lucky enough to play with Robbie (Keane) and Roy (Keane),” he says. “Going back to ‘94, you’d say Paul (McGrath) was in that bracket. World class. You look at this squad, and I think there are no world class players. But there is team spirit, we have that togetherness and camaraderie. That’s probably what’s got us into the Euros.”

Looking ahead to the summer, McAteer reckons Ireland have to make the most of their opening game.

“It’s a tough group,” he said. “The best thing that’s happened is that Sweden is the first game. Italy have come through a bit of a transitional period and I think the Belgians are going to have a good tournament.

“Sweden is our realistic opportunity to get points on the board. If we get a first win, it might give us the confidence to maybe get a draw and eventually go through. If we don’t, it will be critical.”

Jason McAteer and Irish international Aine O’Gorman joined forces at the Aviva Stadium yesterday to launch the 2016 SPAR FAI Primary School 5s programme. Information about the annual five-a-side tournament which attracts nearly 20,000 young students from 1,000 schools nationwide, can be found at www.spar.ie and www.faischools.ie