One to Watch – Boys in Green

With little sport to watch, other than the Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in London, for now, the role of sport as a default setting on our watching habits has had to change.
In time there will be a return and that may come in China first, but for now, we need to be imaginative and dive into the canon of sporting documentary. We need to pace ourselves as to bing on a complete list of the ’10 Greatest…’ will only get us through one sleep.
Each day we will highlight one programme, either on the schedule or via the streaming apps that can be our go-to for that next 24 hours.
Today it is easy as we will dive into the second part of Ross Whittaker’s excellent Boys in Green reliving the history of Irish football.
There was not much social distancing going on around those halcyon days of support for Jack Charlton’s team in ’88 and ’90 but there will be strength found in the power of a communal celebration.
These were days before the Premier League, when sport on TV was the exception rather than the 24/7 feast it has become.
The first episode was brilliant. The second will provide for an escape from the realities of our temporarily changed circumstances, though it does turn a little darker with the Lansdowne road riot from 1995 likely to be the highlight, as well as the parting with Big Jack after a night to remember, even in defeat, against the Netherlands in Anfield.
I was there that night, for a Qualifier play-off. Memory serves that two sides of the ground were pure orange and two sides, including the Kop where I stood alongside Alan Byrne, now the Editor in Chief of the Racing Post were pure green.
In my mind’s eye we spent the night singing the Fields of Athenry and barely blinking at Patrick Kluivert’s goals against us.
Maybe it was different in reality. Sure we’ll see tonight.
The Boys in Green is on RTÉ One TV at 9:35 this evening.