Everyone knew what to expect from Jack Charlton’s Irish side, but dealing with it was another matter entirely. They had a direct and bracing style which plenty of more talented teams failed to cope with.
Craft and subtlety weren’t high on the agenda, and skilful playmakers like Liam Brady suffered as a result. One of Ireland’s greatest ever players, he retired during qualification for the World Cup, but then reversed his decision before the tournament.
Brady, however, was one of two players who stayed at home despite having taken part in some of the qualifiers, while Charlton took three uncapped players with him to Italy. Ireland reached the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by hosts Italy.