We think there’s something in our eye.
On Sunday night, RTÉ bade farewell to Johnny Giles after three decades of punditry from one of the all-time greats and true gentlemen of Irish football.
Giles himself made a fitting and dignified speech about how much he’s enjoyed his time on air and what it’s meant to him over the years, but as well as RTÉ’s own tribute, it was the words of his long-time colleagues Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy that stirred the emotions of hundreds of thousands of people watching on nationwide.
Dunphy, perhaps surprisingly, managed to hold back the tears during what really was a moving ode to Giles’ career as a player, a manager, a pundit and as an ambassador for football in Ireland, describing him as “the greatest football man we’ve ever had”.
"The greatest football man we've ever had." – Eamon Dunphy pays tribute to John Giles #RTEsoccer https://t.co/lYhC7uFvub
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 10, 2016
Brady, meanwhile, praised his honesty, integrity and fearlessness and joked that the night out they enjoyed on Friday night would most certainly not be their last.
Liam Brady on John Giles: "He's always called it as he sees it, with honesty and with integrity and with no fear." https://t.co/Yehl787edh
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) July 10, 2016
Hear, hear.
He’ll be sorely missed.
