Chapter 10 – Preparing for the Germans
The morning after we beat Italy, the camp was different. It wasn’t just relief or joy anymore — it was belief. We were in a World Cup semi-final. Ireland. A nation that had been written off, that had been expected to pack its bags after the groups, was now ninety minutes away from a World Cup final.
David O’Leary deserves a huge amount of credit for that. His professionalism had set the tone from day one. He kept us grounded. He never allowed the players to get carried away with the occasion, but at the same time, he gave us the confidence to think bigger. O’Leary’s training sessions before the Germany game were sharp, disciplined, and focused on detail — pressing as a unit, staying compact, but always believing we could hurt them.
The Germans had been ruthless against Croatia, but we’d already beaten them 4–2 in the groups. That gave us something to cling to. We knew they’d want revenge, but we also knew they were vulnerable if you got at them. We spoke a lot about discipline — not letting their experience intimidate us — and about starting strong.
There was an edge in every session. Tackles flew in. Nobody wanted to let the standards drop, and I loved it. The lads weren’t just enjoying themselves — they were competing with each other, demanding more.
And then there was Wayne Rooney. Sixteen years old, but training and playing like he belonged at the highest level. He’d already made a massive impact in the tournament. His fearlessness rubbed off on the rest of us. Rooney didn’t care if he was up against Cannavaro, Nesta, or whoever — he just wanted the ball, wanted to run at defenders, wanted to make things happen.
The older lads joked that he didn’t realise how big these games were. But in truth, his youthful energy was exactly what we needed. He lifted the mood when things got tense, he made us laugh in the dressing room, and on the pitch he gave us a spark. You couldn’t teach that kind of fearlessness.
As captain, I tried to keep the focus sharp. We weren’t here to make up the numbers or to pat ourselves on the back for getting this far. We were here to win. Simple as that. O’Leary hammered that into us too. He made it clear — history was nice, but opportunity was everything.
Walking back to my room the night before the match, I thought about all the years of sacrifice, all the moments where I’d pushed myself, all the fights I’d had. Now it was about Germany, about making sure we weren’t remembered for just having a good run, but for doing something truly extraordinary.
We were ready.
