Football / World Cup USA '94: Charlton has no need to fish for compliments: Irish manager praises McGrath while doctor treats Coyne for dehydration

THE Irish Prime Minister, Albert Reynolds, has given notice that he has a new job offer for Jack Charlton. But before the supporters who lavish adulation on the Englishman for guiding his adopted country to a remarkable opening World Cup win over Italy on Saturday protest, it is not going to happen just yet.

The Taoiseach, one of many thousands of fans to make the journey to New Jersey to see one of the traditional powers of world football overturned, said he had dinner with Charlton on the eve of the game. Across the table the irascible Geordie pooh-poohed Reynolds' suggestion that a draw would be a good result. 'Jack was not having any of that and said we would win. There will be a carnival back home for the entire weekend. Anyone expecting to work on Monday can forget it.'

Then Reynolds smilingly told how he wanted to make greater use of Charlton's talents. 'Jack has been made a Freeman of the city of Dublin and an honorary Irishman. After the performance against Italy I am going to make him a post in my next government . . . the Minister of Fisheries]

'I told the players I was proud of them for qualifying for the World Cup and I am twice as proud now. We have beaten Holland, Germany and now Italy. I think we can beat anyone we can come up against.'

It was Ireland's first ever defeat of the Italians and, according to Charlton, that fisherman supreme, a tribute to the unstinting efforts in the stifling heat - 91F and 71 per cent humidity - of the Meadlowlands Stadium, of all 13 players concerned.

However he was quick to highlight the performance of the Aston Villa defender Paul McGrath, whose place in the tournament was in doubt because of recurring injury and personal problems. 'McGrath was terrific. His extra yard of pace is not there now but at the same time his reading of the game was superb as was his heading and tackling. He is off the booze and mentally fine again. To be able to quell players of the quality of Roberto Baggio and Guiseppe Signori says everything about him.

'Only in the last 20 minutes was I worried. The Italians are very good at playing one-twos at pace and the slightest touch on them could have produced a penalty. People keep writing us off but we keep beating people. They talk about the way we play but we have some good players as well you know.'

Charlton then revealed the toll exacted on his players because of the intolerable conditions 'It was a hard, difficult game and I've got problems for the remaining group fixtures with Mexico and Norway. I have players who have come off and can hardly walk. It was non-stop, the only stoppage we had was when one of them got hurt and got a yellow card.'

That was a reference to the Motherwell striker Tommy Coyne, who collected a nasty blow to the head. He was down on the ground for some time and the stretcher was called. However when it reached him he was up on his feet and waved it away. Ludicrously, he was booked, although the referee was only abiding by the new, and misguided, Fifa ruling. Charlton was also furious for the earlier bookings for his full-backs Terry Phelan and Denis Irwin.

Coyne had to be treated for severe dehydration and exhaustion after the game, but the team's doctor, Martin Walsh, said yesterday he was recovering well. 'He felt poorly on the trip back, but I'll be most surprised if he is not shipshape for the next game on Friday,' he said.

The problem of dehydration was still worrying the Irish camp, he added. 'We've got things sorted out with Fifa now,' he said. 'But Jack (Charlton) was agitated during the game because players were unwilling to break their rhythm and take drinks on the touchlines. Persuading the players that they must go to the touchline to drink is one of our problems now. It was a very hard game and it could be even hotter when we play the Mexicans on Friday.'

World Cup news and reports, pages 37, 38 and 39

(Photograph omitted)