Euro '88 hero Ray Houghton tells Ireland stars 'yes we can' ahead of huge clash with England in Dublin
Ireland football icon Razor also warned England players Jack Grealish and Declan Rice – who controversially switched allegiance – will face a hostile reception
EURO ’88 hero Ray Houghton has told Ireland’s stars “yes, we can” as they take on England today amid hopes they “put ’em under pressure”.
Ireland football icon Razor also warned England players Jack Grealish and Declan Rice – who controversially switched allegiance – could face a hostile reception. The clash, which gardai have categorised as an “extraordinary event”, is due to kick off at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin from 5pm.
It coincides with the two-year anniversary of the death of England’s queen Elizabeth II and also with the visit to Ireland of new England prime minister Keir Starmer. A heavy Garda presence is guaranteed after all leave was cancelled to make sure there is no repeat of the ugly scenes that erupted in the old Lansdowne Road stadium in 1995.
READ MORE:Heimir Hallgrimsson wants cool heads going into Ireland v England clash
READ MORE: Seamus Coleman has his say on expected hostile reception for Declan Rice and Jack Grealish
Far-right extremists of the neo-fascist group Combat 18 sang “no surrender to the IRA” and ripped out chairs which were hurled down on top of Ireland fans 34 years ago. Football authorities hope for peace today as England return to Lansdowne Road.
Goal hero Ray, who scored the winner against England at Euro ’88, believes the Boys in Green can do it. He said: “You can’t fault the guards. They are getting numbers mobilised and UK police have come over and will know who the hooligans are. We’re hoping that everything goes off without any problems whatsoever, there’s no trouble at all.”
Ray claimed new Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson - who masterminded Iceland’s shock win over England at Euro 2016 - can beat double Euro final losers (2020 and 2024) England. Ray said: “Yes, of course they can. There’s no reason why they can’t do so. It’s a new chapter in Irish football with a new manager.
“Their training sessions look very positive. The players have to go out there with a confidence and a belief in their ability that they can play against an England team that lost in the Euro final only a few weeks ago. They have an interim manager, [former Ireland player] Lee Carsley, and it will be intriguing to see the starting 11 for both teams.”
Ray added: “I want to see Ireland attack and really give the Irish public something to shout about it and enjoy. Get the crowd behind them. Rice and Grealish know they will get a reaction. It’s no different than when you move clubs. You’re going to get stick, you have to prepared for that. It’s part and parcel of being a professional footballer.”
He continued: “It’ll be difficult for them, I’m sure. They’ll squirm a little bit from the noise and the way that the fans treat them, but they have to get on with the job.”
Former England defender Wes Brown thinks ex-Ireland player Carsley will guide England to victory amid a febrile atmosphere. He was speaking to BoyleSports about the latest match odds and said: “I’m sure it will be very hostile.” He added: “But I do think England will get the job done.”
Some 3,000 England fans have been allocated tickets. All Garda leave has been cancelled and 400 public order officers are rostered to be on duty, while additional gardai have also been drafted in from outside Dublin. Cops from England's football intelligence unit which have been liaising with gardaí in recent months and are in the capital to identify trouble-makers.
They will use CCTV cameras in Garda control rooms to spot England hooligans who are banned from international travel and should not be in Ireland. Extra Garda patrols will police Temple Bar and the city centre and can be accompanied by UK officers.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said: “They have no policing powers. They’re there to observe, to assist us, and if we have to deal with disorder, they may be able to assist us in terms of [identifying] individuals, particularly if they have been banned from international travel.
“There is a scheme in England where some fans are banned from international football travel. And obviously travelling to Dublin, even though we have the Common Travel Area, still would be a breach of those sorts of bans.” He added: “We’re live to all the various public order threats that may arise.”
The countries last met in Dublin in 2015 for a friendly that ended in 0-0 without a major incident off the pitch. Today’s competitive Nations League game is part of the qualification process for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Live coverage will be shown on RTE2 and ITV1 from 4pm.
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