Eoin Hand
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Eoin Kevin Joseph Colin Hand | ||
Date of birth | 30 March 1946 | ||
Place of birth | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Youth career | |||
Stella Maris | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1963–1964 | Drumcondra | 1 | (0) |
1964–1965 | Swindon Town | 0 | (0) |
1965–1966 | Dundalk | 2 | (0) |
1966 | Shelbourne | 0 | (0) |
1966–1968 | Drumcondra | 43 | (13) |
1968–1976 | Portsmouth | 260 | (13) |
1973 |
→ Port Elizabeth City (loan) | ? | (?) |
1975 | → Lusitano (loan)[citation needed] | ? | (?) |
1976 | Arcadia Shepherds | ? | (?) |
1977 | Lusitano | ? | (?) |
1977 | Shamrock Rovers | 9 | (0) |
1977–1979 | Portsmouth | 17 | (2) |
1979–1983 | Limerick United | 76 | (24) |
International career | |||
1969–1975 | Republic of Ireland | 20 | (2) |
1979 | League of Ireland XI | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1979–1983 |
Limerick United | ||
1984–1985 | St Patrick's Athletic | ||
1980–1985 | Republic of Ireland | ||
1987–1988 |
Al-Taawon | ||
1988–1992 | Huddersfield Town | ||
1993 | Amazulu | ||
1993–1994 | Shelbourne | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Eoin Kevin Joseph Colin Hand (born 30 March 1946) is an Irish former footballer and football manager. As a player, his normal position was centre-half. He works as a television and radio football commentator for RTÉ in Ireland.[1]
Playing career
Hand played schoolboy football with Stella Maris. As a 17-year-old, Hand was signed by Swindon Town but the move did not work out and he returned quickly to Ireland. He started his League of Ireland career with short spells for Dundalk F.C. and Shelbourne F.C. but it was with Drumcondra F.C. that he found most success.
After a series of outstanding displays, he was signed by
Managerial career
In 1979, Hand was appointed player-manager of
In Hand's first World Cup qualifying campaign, Ireland narrowly lost out to France on goal difference. Ireland conceded a late goal to Belgium after having what some commentators describe as a 'perfectly good goal' disallowed. The image of Hand on the bench with his head in his hands post match is widely shown in Ireland as one of Irish sport's most heartbreaking images.[3]
Ireland finished an unremarkable third in the qualifying campaign for
In 1988, he was appointed manager of Huddersfield Town and remained there until 1992.[4] He also managed Shelbourne F.C. briefly during the 1993–94 season.[5]
FAI work
Hand began working with the FAI in 1999 as a career guidance officer. His position was terminated in July 2012. Following this, he took a case of unfair dismissal against the FAI and was initially successful. The FAI appealed this decision to the Labour Court and were ultimately successful. The Court found that Hand had been a consultant to the FAI at all times rather than an employee.[6]
During his tenure as career guidance officer, Hand played a key role in the campaign by Crumlin United to secure a portion of the £7m transfer of Robbie Keane from Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur under the FIFA Solidarity Mechanism.[7]
Personal life
Hand successfully underwent an operation for pancreatitis in 1997, after which he gave up smoking and drinking.[8] He is heavily involved in his passion for playing music and devoting his spare time to raising funds for charities. Hand now lives in Moyvane in North Kerry with his wife Pauline.[citation needed]
Managerial honours
- League of Ireland
- Limerick F.C. 1979/80
- FAI Cup
- Limerick F.C. 1982
- SWAI Personality of the Year
- Limerick F.C. – 1980
Sources
- The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)
References
- ^ "RTÉ Sport shows unparalleled commitment to Eircom League" Archived 24 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine, RTÉ, 9 November 2006
- ^ "SWAI Personality of the Year", Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
- ^ "The Joy of Six: Republic of Ireland football moments". The Guardian. London. 18 November 2011.
- ^ "99 Years & Counting" Volume 1, Alan Hodgson, Ian Thomas, Gwen Thomas and John Ward, Huddersfield Town, 2007.
- ^ The History of Shelbourne F.C., Planet Shels. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
- ^ "Hand loses battle with FAI over €65k job", The Herald, 25 April 2014
- ^ "Keane's solidarity pays for Crumlin", The Irish Times, 14 November 2003
- ^ "Giving young soccer stars a guiding Hand" Archived 22 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Nationalist, 28 January 2000