Latest news with #TerryPhelan
The Irish Sun
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jack Charlton changed the lives of everybody in Ireland with the World Cup but there was uproar when he first took over
FORMER Ireland international Terry Phelan has spoken of how Jack Charlton had to overcome early uproar to become Ireland's greatest manager. 'Big Jack', who won the Advertisement 5 Terry Phelan won 42 caps for Ireland Credit: David Maher/SPORTSFILE 5 He was part of Jack Charlton's team that played at the 1994 World Cup in the USA Credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE 5 Ireland players, from left, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend, Terry Phelan and Steve Staunton Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile While a controversial appointment at the time due to his English heritage , as well as a 1-0 loss to Under his stewardship, Ireland got to their first ever major tournament at Euro 1988 and famously beat England in their opening game. They exited the tournament in the group stages before going one better at their first World Cup at Italia 90, getting to the quarter-finals. Terry Phelan made his senior debut the following year and was involved in every game when Ireland got to the 1994 World Cup in the Advertisement Read More on World Cup And he told SunSport via "We had amazing players… [Liam] Brady, [Ronnie] Whelan, [Kevin] Stapleton, [Paul] McGrath, [Andy] Townsend, [Mark] Lawrenson, [Steve] Staunton… the list goes on. "The first year was tough for Jack with Ireland, but once he weathered the storm, you look at the second year and Euro 88. "Ireland became a team that people noticed and it went on from there. Jack brought the country together throughout his time as Ireland manager and this was huge! Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog "His no-nonsense approach was spot on, every player know where they stood. "We played hard, we had fun and Jack let us go out, but as a group, we knew when we crossed that white line, it was time to fight and be together. Bobby Charlton hailed as 'greatest' by former Ireland manager Jack Charlton as footage re-emerges of late brothers "We won big game games and went to major tournaments." England's late equaliser against Advertisement Alan McLoughlin's late strike at Windsor Park against The World Cup itself started with another iconic moment, as Ray Houghton's goal at Giants Stadium sealed a 1-0 win over revenge for their defeat to the Azzurri four years earlier. Despite losing to next game, a draw with it was at this stage that the journey once again ended, as goals from Advertisement Phelan - who won 42 caps for Ireland - said: "It was super-hot but we knew we had a squad to compete and we knew how to play on the big stage. 'GREAT TEAM' "This was a great team we had. Most of us were playing in England, we were a family , we stuck together, and we had loads of fun outside of the pitch. "We messed about, we ate Snickers and Mars bars! But we were a unit. We had so much quality in the team! "I mentioned earlier, but McGrath, [Packie] Bonner, [Denis] Irwin, [Roy] Keane. We had leaders all over the pitch Advertisement "[John] Sheridan was immense, Townsend was a work horse, Staunton had so much grit and determination "Was had the class of Houghton to score the goal against Italy . "The bond we had as players was excellent. "As we went on, It was a bridge too far, but we went on one great ride." Advertisement 5 Ireland players, from left, Roy Keane, Kenny Cunningham, Terry Phelan and Richard Dunne Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Since hanging up the green jersey in 2000, the former defender has enjoyed a varied career on and off the field. The former Manchester City, star ended his on-field run with Southern United in His coaching career has taken him to Advertisement The 58-year-old is relishing this chapter of his career but would welcome a return to Ireland down the line. He said: "My relationship with Ireland is great! "I loved every time I put on the jersey! To see so many passionate fans following us was testament to Jack and what he had done for the country. "Every player who played for Ireland was the same. We were passionate about the country and playing our football . Advertisement "I am very happy in India, coaching a lot and giving back. Feeling fit and keeping healthy. "Coming home? Never say never! My dream is still alive to bring players over from India to Ireland and have a link up with any of the teams. "I have so much passion for the game, I want to continue to coach, educate and empower young footballers to succeed. "So, maybe there could be a chance to come back to Ireland especially, or England to coach as it's a massive passion of mine." Advertisement 5 Roy Keane, David Connolly, Terry Phelan and Ray Houghton Credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE.
Irish Daily Mirror
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
1994 World Cup star jokes about how Sligo upbringing prepared him for India move
One of the key members of Ireland's 1994 World Cup side has joked that his Sligo upbringing helped prepare him for his move to India. Terry Phelan, a regular in Jack Charlton's starting-11 when Ireland famously conquered Italy at the Giants Stadium during the 1994 World Cup, is a coach and television personality in his adopted homeland. He first arrived in India in 2010 and spent two years there, before he returned in 2014 to work as a pundit for Sony Sports during the World Cup. On the back of his TV work, he was offered a job at Kerala Blasters, and after spending a couple of years there he was offered another role, this time from Bangalore side South United. He has worked as technical director at South United since 2019 - and Phelan has fallen in love with life in India. When he was first asked to move there, he didn't know too much about his destination. 'I always loved travelling, even when I was a young boy. I think it was the Irish coming out in me,' said Phelan, whose Sligo-born mum helped him qualify to represent Ireland. Speaking with bookmaker Betfree, he added: 'I joined Leeds as a young boy, left home at 12 or 13 years of age and went into digs, and I think that's when I caught it. 'Then obviously moving to Wimbledon, the Crazy Gang, enjoying five mad years there, winning an FA Cup final, which was great, and then getting a big money move, £2.5million, to Manchester City, the most expensive defender at the time. 'From Man City I went to Chelsea, Chelsea to Everton and Everton to Fulham. Then I started going, alright then, what's next? 'I got an offer to go over to the United States. I went over in '92 and '96 (for the US Cup), I went over in '94 (for the World Cup), so I thought, why not? Ireland's Ray Houghton celebrates his goal against Italy with Terry Phelan (Image: INPHO/Billy Stickland) 'I went over and played for Charleston Battery in South Carolina and thought, yeah, I enjoy this travelling. 'I stayed over there for three or four years in America, won trophies over there, which was wonderful, it was a beautiful part of the world, the people were fantastic. 'Then I got an offer to go to New Zealand and I thought, let's do it. The football club was mad as hatters, I didn't know what was going on, but I thought, yeah, I'll throw myself in the deep end, it'll be a challenge. 'I spent six years there, and then somebody said to me, 'Terry, we hear you like traveling, we hear you like going into different communities, would you like to come to India?'. ''India? Where abouts?'. 'He said, 'A place called Goa'. 'So I did my research, and Goa is the smallest state in India, it's on the west coast, and I thought, brilliant. The job was in a residential academy. 'I didn't know what was going on. All I knew about India at the time was the spices and the curries. 'But don't worry, growing up in Tubbercurry in Sligo, my mum loved curries, so I thought, it can't get any better, can it? We'll go and have an adventure.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Daily Mirror
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
1994 World Cup star isn't ready to end his India adventure just yet
Briefly, Terry Phelan considered coming home. There was a job going with League of Ireland First Division side Wexford, and it appealed to him. A club with a strong history of bringing players up through the ranks and into the first-team, the role resonated with what he was doing in India, as sporting director at South United FC, a professional club playing in the top league Karnataka. Ultimately, he decided he wasn't ready to pack up and leave, another former Ireland international Stephen Elliott landed the Wexford job, and past the midway point of the season he has them in contention for the promotion play-offs. 'Maybe I end up back in Ireland one day, who knows, doing a little bit of education there and doing a little bit of fishing like Jack Charlton used to,' Phelan tells MirrorSport, in association with NetBet Irish Online Casino. 'Who knows? I might stay in India for the rest of my life. You never know. I'm like that. Wherever the wind blows. If it's something I want to do, then why not?' For now, the wanderlust that took him from English football (Leeds United, Swansea, Wimbledon, Manchester City, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham and Sheffield United) to the USA (Charleston Battery) to New Zealand (Otago United) and then to India is still bubbling inside. Terry Phelan playing for Manchester City (Image: Clive Brunskill/ALLSPORT) Terry Phelan during his time at Chelsea (Image: Ben Radford/Allsport UK) He has seen plenty come and go. 'I was out here with Robbie Keane,' he says. 'I was Owen Coyle's roommate in the (Ireland) youth team. Owen is still over here.' Just this week, Coyle parted company with Indian Super League side Chennaiyin. 'We've had David James over here,' continues Phelan, 'Robbie… I still keep in touch with Robbie. We've had Peter Reid over here, Stevie Coppell. 'They've all been over, but on short-term stays. I've loved the space I've been in, I've worked with the Kerala Blasters first-team, I've run around with the tots, on my hands and knees; it's football, it doesn't bother me. 'I really do enjoy it. And I'm still as fit as a butcher's dog.' So, how did he get bitten by the travel bug? 'I always loved travelling, even when I was a young boy. I think it was the Irish coming out in me,' he replies. 'I joined Leeds as a young boy, left home at 12 or 13 years of age and went into digs, and I think that's when I caught it. 'Then obviously moving to Wimbledon, the Crazy Gang, enjoying five mad years there, winning an FA Cup final, which was great, and then getting a big money move, £2.5million, to Manchester City, the most expensive defender at the time. Wimbledon's Vinnie Jones and Terry Phelan with the FA Cup after their 1988 win against Liverpool (Image: Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images) 'From Man City I went to Chelsea, Chelsea to Everton and Everton to Fulham. Then I started going, alright then, what's next? 'I got an offer to go over to the United States. I went over in '92 and '96 (for the US Cup), I went over in '94 (for the World Cup), so I thought, why not? 'I went over and played for Charleston Battery in South Carolina and thought, yeah, I enjoy this travelling. 'I stayed over there for three or four years in America, won trophies over there, which was wonderful, it was a beautiful part of the world, the people were fantastic. 'Then I got an offer to go to New Zealand and I thought, let's do it. The football club was mad as hatters, I didn't know what was going on, but I thought, yeah, I'll throw myself in the deep end, it'll be a challenge. 'I spent six years there, and then somebody said to me, 'Terry, we hear you like traveling, we hear you like going into different communities, would you like to come to India?'. ''India? Where abouts?'. 'He said, 'A place called Goa'. 'So I did my research, and Goa is the smallest state in India, it's on the west coast, and I thought, brilliant. The job was in a residential academy. 'I didn't know what was going on. All I knew about India at the time was the spices and the curries. 'But don't worry, growing up in Tubbercurry in Sligo, my mum loved curries, so I thought, it can't get any better, can it? We'll go and have an adventure. 'This was 2010. I lasted two years, I tried to implement things, I went back to Europe again for a couple of years, gained a little more knowledge, and then I got another phone call. ''Terry, would you like to come out and do some TV work for the 2014 World Cup in Delhi?'. 'I said, 'Yeah, no problem'. Six weeks of two of us doing the World Cup, nine-hour days, I loved it. 'Then I get another phone call - 'Terry, we loved you on TV, Kerala Blasters want to take you on as their technical director'. 'I went, 'Really?'. ''They want to meet you'. 'So, after the TV I went back to India, met them and said, 'Look, I'll be your technical director, I'll run all the programmes'. 'Kerala is another beautiful part of the world where the food is absolutely wonderful. 'I was there for four years, thought it was great, and I loved India. I was still doing the TV. I've been doing it for 11 years now, working for Sony Sport, I was developing players, developing an ethos, a methodology, educating, and coming in not with an attitude of 'I know it all', but coming in with a humble attitude, I'm from the streets, 'And I'm still in India. I moved to Bangalore in 2019, South United Football Club. I remember coming in and it was just rocks. You should see it now, state of the art. We are currently working on a residential building. 'I'm still educating, I'm still having that dream of maybe getting one or two students into Europe. That's my dream. 'At the grand old age of 58, I still love it. I love being out in the cold weather. I was out last night, two hours in the rain, running around; beautiful.' Italy's Roberto Donadoni and Terry Phelan of Ireland (Image: INPHO/Billy Stickland) Will he ever come home? 'I did see a job for Wexford going,' he replies, 'and I was thinking, should I or shouldn't I? 'I thought, I'm not ready for that yet. When I mean, I'm not ready, I've got to finish stuff over here, I've still got that little dream over here of maybe getting one or two players into Europe, maybe into Ireland. 'Maybe I could work with a couple of Irish clubs to get players in, working with one or two clubs in Ireland. I'd love to do that. 'If there are any guys out there who want to work with me and look at players, I am open to that. We are hoping to expose players, give them that exposure. 'I'd just love to come in and develop players. Mentoring is key now. I don't think we have a lot of mentors about, especially when they jump from the youth team and they are catapulted into the first-team. The coach can only do so much. 'I'd love to go into a mentoring role and have that link between the youth and first-team, be somebody they can talk to, somebody their parents can talk to. I think that's what they need. 'In our day, we mentored ourselves. With the stresses of the world on these players, and they really want to get there, they want it quick, maybe they need people to sit them down and show them the way. 'Maybe one day… I'm 58 now, maybe in a few years I could come back to Ireland and implement something. 'I don't know yet. You never put a number on it. At the moment I'm loving life where I am.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Move to Hill Dickinson Stadium tipped to be a fresh start for 'top-six' Everton
Everton's move to Hill Dickinson Stadium is a 'fresh start' for the club and can help revive their fortunes. That's the verdict of a former Premier League star who loved his time with the Blues despite injuries curtailing his time on Merseyside. After 133 years at Goodison Park, David Moyes' men signed off from their home since 1892 with a 2-0 win over Southampton on May 18. Although there were 16 occasions that Goodison attracted crowds of over 70,000 for Everton games, including a record 78,299 crowd for a Merseyside Derby against Liverpool on September 18, 1948, the Blues have only ever enjoyed an average gate of over 50,000 once (51,603 for the 1962/63 title-winning season) and have not had a crowd of over 50,000 for a home match since 53,323 watched the League Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on January 21, 1987. With a capacity of 52,769, though, such numbers are now set to become a new normal for Everton on the Mersey waterfront. And Terry Phelan, who played for the club under Joe Royle, Howard Kendall and Walter Smith is excited by the prospect. The 58-year-old told the ECHO: 'They've been fighting relegation year in, year out. We don't want to see that. READ MORE: Ex-Everton chief makes James McAtee transfer claim as Juan Roman Riquelme memories evoked READ MORE: Leeds United hit with shock suspension news for Everton Premier League opener 'Everton is a massive club. Let's stamp that up there. 'It's a top-six club. I don't care what anyone says, they might think I'm a bit mad, but I believe that, and this is something new for those Everton fans, a fresh start and forward-thinking. 'Going to the new stadium can only help. The players, the manager and all the staff will be up for it. 'I'm not just going on about the first-team staff, I'm talking about the nucleus of the Evertonian family, whether they're young, middle aged or old. The first game is going to be an absolutely fantastic day for them and hopefully they win.' Phelan, who was speaking courtesy of Betsson Premier league odds, added: 'It's new surroundings. It's a new environment for everybody, from the players to all of the different backroom staff and club employees. 'I know they've built it to keep the design intimate, but it's not going to be like Goodison Park where it is tight and compact. I think it's what Everton needs, as a whole, as a community. 'I think it's absolutely fantastic and with it being on the waterfront, it's placed in the right area. The new owners keeping Goodison Park on (for the women's team) is another iconic thing in itself. 'Everybody is looking forwards to the start of the new season and the first home game. It's going to be a full house and the Evertonians will make it as loud as anything. 'I just hope they can get a European spot and do well in the domestic cups. It's about time and I think David Moyes is the right man to bring that to them. 'I think with the move to the new stadium, it will be a big push now for Everton and I think Moyesy will get it together. I always look out for their results and try and watch all my old teams whenever I can. 'I've got fond memories of Everton. It was unfortunate that I got an injury, and it didn't sort itself out as well as it should have but it was always a pleasure to play for Everton and those Evertonians.' Although injuries restricted the Salford-born player to just 28 outings for Everton across four seasons with the club, it was the passion of Blues supporters that always inspired Phelan who in 1988 was an FA Cup winner with Wimbledon against neighbours Liverpool, following their shock 1-0 victory to deny Kenny Dalglish's Reds a domestic double. He said: 'The fans were always brilliant. Listen, playing at Goodison Park back in the day, I played against your Reidys, your Bracewells, your Mountfields, your Southalls, your Ratcliffes, Adrian Heath, I played against them all. 'Going to Goodison Park, I always thought it was one of the hardest places to win a football game. Not because of the players, because of the fans, they were like the 12th man. 'They're great fans, so passionate. Die-hard Blues. 'When I got the chance to go there, I was never going to turn it down. I could have stayed at Chelsea but I said: 'No, let me go, let me play football.' 'I picked up an injury and it lasted a couple of months and there were other bits and bobs. But to play for that football club and be part of that football club was absolutely brilliant, and I cherish it with honour.' The former Republic of Ireland international has spent the past decade in India, working first as technical director at Kerala Blasters youth team before taking up a similar post with South United in the city of Bangalore. Phelan quips that it was fate that brought him there and said: 'It's a wonderful country. My family is from a place called Tubbercurry in Sligo, and like every mum of my era, my mum loved making curries, and I landed in India – I was blessed to come here. 'I've been here for 10 years now. My dream is to get a couple of players out and get them into Europe, show them what Europe is all about and not being afraid of Europe. 'They need the mentality of: 'If we're going to be world-class players, we need to do it this way'. If I was to show you what we've got here, you'd be amazed as we've got an 11 v 11 field, a six v six field, a top gymnasium, an operations room and coaches' room plus a state-of-the-art coffee bar and now we're building a fully-fledged residential, right in the heart of Bangalore. 'The private sector is growing here and they're building a lot of full-size pitches. The game is growing at the grassroots level, it's really taking off but at the top level, we're struggling a little bit. 'The ISL, the top league in India, we don't know if it's going to go ahead, which could be a big dampener. Then we've got I-League 1, I-League 2, I-League 3 and the state tournaments and leagues, so everything is fantastic, and it's getting there, but we need to find different verticals and different pathways. 'We've got that now for the children and at our place, we start with the tots, and there is a pathway all the way up to the first team. However, we need more alignment from the top with the federation to trickle down. 'Our national team needs to do well. The women are doing absolutely fantastic, but the men's national team has to do better, as we all know that if they do better, then that gives everyone a big push. 'England have just beaten India in the cricket, and we've got a big cricket academy here, so they're on a bit of a downer at the minute and I've got to be careful what I say. But when it comes to the football, we're growing as a whole.'
