RT Radio Documentary Looks Back at Italia 90

RT Radio 1 Documentary Looks Back at Italia 90 Put Em Under Pressure: In 1990 the Republic of Ireland played in their first ever World Cup finals: Italia 90 under manager Jack Charlton.

The Republic had, two years earlier, qualified for its first major finals, Euro 88 and the expectation was that they could take that forward through to the Italian World Cup in 1990.

Put em under pressure was the phrase that was coined by Jack Charlton to exemplify the pressing football style of his team. They set out firstly on the qualification group, which saw wins over both Spain and Northern Ireland, and finally Malta which would put the Republic through to the finals.

Documentary on One: Put Em Under Pressure, presented and complied by RT sports presenter John Kenny, begins with the opening qualifying game at Windsor Park in Belfast through to the quarter final in Rome and the massive homecoming celebrations where half a million people lined the streets of Dublin.

In the documentary, RT sports commentator George Hamilton explains just why he uttered those famous lines, "the nation holds its breath". We also hear from former international Niall Quinn and archived material containing the voices of Charlton, Eamonn Dunphy, David O Leary, Mick McCarthy, Kevin Sheedy and the luckless Gary Waddock, who was dropped from the Italia 90 squad at the airport.

John Kenny has delved into the RTE Radio and Television archives to blend together, with the best music of 1990, a unique, never-to-be-forgotten story of the Republic of Ireland's involvement at Italia '90, when Irish people at home and abroad went football crazy.

There are stories of rows about insufficient payments to players, Eamonn Dunphy s famous pen-throwing incident, the visit of the squad to the Vatican to meet the pope and of Bernie Slaven speaking one night to his dog down the phone.

The story relives the Republic of Ireland's games at Italia '90, when a country began to believe in itself and perhaps laid the foundations for the Celtic Tiger that was to follow.

Documentary on One: Put Em Under Pressure airs this Saturday 6 June on RT Radio 1, 2pm.

Narrated and Compiled by John Kenny

Production Supervision by Ciaran Cassidy

Sound Supervision by Mark Dwyer

ENDS

For further information:

Sheena Madden

Press Officer, RT Radio

Ph: 01 208 2452 / 087 245 8046

E: sheena.madden@rte.ie

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2015/0604/70579...
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