The Dubliner oversaw 40 games – 15 of which were FIFA World Cup qualifiers – but narrowly missed out on qualification for the 1982 FIFA World Cup due to goal difference.
Of the 49 players that Hand used overall, 24 of them were debutants and eight of those went on to make the EURO 88 squad, under Jack Charlton.
Record
40 games
11 wins
9 draws
20 defeats
47 goals scored
59 goals against
Most Appearances: Frank Stapleton (32)
Top Scorer: Frank Stapleton (11)
Captain Most Times: Tony Grealish (16)
Five Notable Results
FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Republic of Ireland 2-1 Netherlands – September 10, 1980 – Lansdowne Road
FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Republic of Ireland 3-2 France – October 14, 1981 – Lansdowne Road
UEFA European Championship Qualifier: Iceland 0-3 Republic of Ireland – September 21, 1983 – Reykjavik
UEFA European Championship Qualifier: Republic of Ireland 8-0 Malta – November 16, 1983 – Dalymount Park
FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Republic of Ireland 3-0 Switzerland – June 2, 1985 – Lansdowne Road
Five Notable Debutants
Packie Bonner
The Donegal shot-stopper went on to earn 80 senior caps overall and etch his name in Irish folklore with a terrific penalty save against Romania at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Mick McCarthy
The current Ireland manager was known as Captain Fantastic during his playing days, where he led the team out on 22 occasions. He was the skipper at Ireland’s first ever World Cup tournament in Italy and also played at the UEFA European Championships before that.
Paul McGrath
One of the most popular players to ever pull on the Ireland jersey, McGrath operated at centre-back and centre midfield throughout his international career, producing some truly outstanding performances over 12 years.
Kevin Sheedy
He scored nine times overall for Ireland, but none mattered more than his finish against England at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. A gifted winger, Sheedy had the option to represent England but chose Ireland and proved to be a great servant.
Ronnie Whelan
Son of Ronnie Snr, this Dublin-born midfielder enjoyed great success for Ireland over 53 caps that saw him feature in two FIFA World Cup tournaments and score a memorable goal against USSR at EURO 88.