Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin in 1992
Denis Joseph Irwin ( born October 31, 1965 in Cork) is a former Irish football player. The full-back was in the 1990s a major player in the emerging team of Manchester United Alex Ferguson. The 56- times Irish international and World Cup qualifiers in 1994 was awarded with "United" seven English championships (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001 ), two FA Cup trophies (1994 and 1996 - a further final success in 1999, he missed rotgesperrt ), to the 1992 League Cup, and on the European stage next to the Cup Winners' Cup title in 1991, especially the Champions League in 1999.
Sports career
Beginnings (1982-1990)
Denis Irwin grew up in the southern Irish county of Cork and initially his athletic future was not set on football. Reason for this was that he was more popular in Ireland, Gaelic football and hurling allied sports had followed in stages as Croke Park and Páirc Uí Chaoimh. He had with John Allen - later successful coach in the strongholds Cork and Limerick - also a renowned mentors.
In March 1982, however, he turned away from the Irish national sports and joined in northern England youth department at Leeds United. Two and a half months after he had signed the first professional contract there for his 18th birthday around, he made his debut on January 16, 1984 in a competitive match against Scunthorpe United ( 2:4 in the FA Cup) and five days later he played his first second-division match against FC Fulham (1-0 ). The following season, 1984/85 to Irwin captured under coach Eddie Gray the trunk space on the right side of defense, before he surprisingly lost him after Gray's resignation in October 1985 under his successor Billy Bremner to Neil Aspin again. These Leeds allowed him even after the completion of the season 1986/87 a transfer fee with the club changes and league rivals Oldham Athletic quickly found himself an interested party, in which Irwin then hired.
Already on Matchday he replaced on the right side of defense the previously positioned there Willie Donachie and in a season 1986/87, in the Irwin missed only one league game, Oldham failed in the promotion battle until the play-offs at Irwin's former club Leeds. After two years in the middle of the English Second Division the season brought in 1989/90 a significant sporting development. Here, Irwin reached Oldham not only in the league to eighth place. Moreover, in addition to the participation in the League Cup final against Nottingham Forest (0-1) the entry into the Cup semi-final was groundbreaking in which Irwin and his men narrowly against Manchester United - and only about a replay - lost. " United's " manager Alex Ferguson was there so impressed by Irwin's performances, he signed him a short time later for 625,000 pounds.
Manchester United (1990-2002)
In his first season in 1990/91 for the new employer Irwin acted as master rights defenders and with his speed, game intelligence and precision, beaten with swerve flanks, who so particularly opposing goalkeeper difficult task, he said the offensive game a new " weapon" added. In defensive play he showed indeed in some situations weaknesses - this included due to the small body size always the head ball game - but a lack of physical presence, he often resembled by a good timing of actions in defense. The first title came in the European Cup winners with a 2-1 final victory in May 1991, against Barcelona - just a month earlier he had lost his second League Cup final in a row against Sheffield Wednesday 0-1. As Ferguson for 1991/92 season with Paul Parker undertook another actor for the right-back position, Irwin moved to the left side and thanks to his both feet he faced after initial Umgewöhungsschwierigkeiten well to the new requirements a. In this role, he finally won his first British title in 1992 after he had won against Nottingham Forest on the third attempt the League Cup with a 1-0 victory in the final. He surpassed his four league goals in the following season 1992 /93, Manchester United the first English championship earned after 26 years, another goal and especially his spectacular winning goal in April 1993 made against Coventry City for much-needed three points. Definitively one of the best Premier League player, he jumped on in the season 1993/94, in which he set on the way to "Double" from the English league and FA Cup two highlights ( a remarkable free-kick goal at Anfield against Liverpool and in the Cup knockout round after a hit ball relay race with Paul Ince against FC Wimbledon ) and end up in the Erstligamannschaft of the Year ( "PFA Team of the Year" ) was chosen.
As a free-kick and corner specialist (mostly from the right), he was very much appreciated at this time also for his qualities in " dead ball "; this he increasingly led from Penalty. In an untitled season 1994 /95 on the place mostly quiet representatives fell the most in the FA Cup with goals against Wrexham AFC and Crystal Palace, and in April 1995 he signed for Manchester United a new three-year contract. Similarly used on both sides of defense, Irwin won in 1996 with United, the second Double in the English league and FA Cup in his career, although he himself only its own league goals scored ( came to an own goal against Queens Park Rangers (1:1) ). Irwin has already caused on the opening day of the 1996/97 season for a hit against FC Wimbledon ( 3-0) and in the season that ended with the successful title defense in the Premier League, he was except for short -term injuries - including at the 0 :1 home defeat in the Champions League against Juventus - again in important key players who cared in crucial situations for the necessary rest. On top of that, he faded after three penalties from Teddy Sheringham was now the first choice for the penalty kicks for United and in the 1997/98 Champions League campaign he showed in this regard against Feyenoord as a good successor. In the return match against the Dutch representative early November 1997 Paul Bosvelt him then injured so badly that Irwin was set up in January 1998 largely out of action. The recovery went well and no visible restrictions he returned during a cup game against Chelsea back in March 1998, he also led the team as captain.
In Manchester United's Triple - season 1998/99, in addition to a further double success in the English league and FA Cup earned the club the Champions League trophy, Irwin was indeed continue despite increasing juvenile competition a fixture in the team, but also lacking in some phases. After he had played ten of the first eleven games, he laid in October 1998 due to a knee injury forced a break. Nevertheless, he contributed three transformed penalties in important situations (two against Liverpool and one against Middlesbrough FC in the Cup ) significantly to the overall success - although locked due to a red card for the FA Cup final against Newcastle United ( 2-0) - and he was elected as one of five United players again in the team of the Year at the end. In its tenth season 1999/2000 Manchester outperformed Peter Schmeichels record insert number in the Champions League and also thanks to its decision to end the career of the Irish national team and to focus on club football, he defended on his place on the left side of defense. He won in 2000 the now sixth league title for the first time and had accumulated at this time together with Ryan Giggs more medals in this respect than any other player in the history of Manchester. He screwed this number in the following year, still on seven high, as it were the last league title in his career. The post of left full-back was exposed to a steady competition between Irwin, brothers Gary and Phil Neville and Mikaël Silvestre and the " old masters " who had also marked his 500th competitive match in the 2000 /01 season ( " befitting " for an Irishman on St. Patrick 's Day), arrived on 20 League Appearances from the very beginning and hit this in two Champions League games against RSC Anderlecht penalty. In his final season in 2001/ 02 Manchester United Irwin came only sporadically to train; in his final appearance on the final day against Charlton Athletic (0-0 ) Coach Ferguson left him during his upcoming farewell once again wear the captain 's armband.
Career finale (2002-2004)
End of July 2002 joined Irwin free transfer to the sub-prime Wolverhampton Wanderers. The " Wolves " had obliged with Paul Ince a further formerly active at Manchester United "veterans" and together they were key players in the ultimately successful promotion battle. Early Irwin made this as a scorer attention, including first against Burnley and in October against Grimsby Town - both goals in a free kick. Existing concerns that questioned his fitness in relatively high age footballer in question could be answered by these good performances on both sides of defense and in the end he managed one more time just to be nominated in the ( second division ) team of the year.
After he had originally set for one year only in Wolverhampton, Irwin extended its commitment to the outlook once a year in the Premier League to play. That the season 2003/ 04 would be his last, Irwin announced at the beginning of the season in August 2003., Where he was represented in all of the first 16 Erstligapartien in the team before he lost his place increasingly Mark Clyde after the new year. His last assignment at 0-2 against Tottenham Hotspur was his last and at the same exact 900th competitive game appearance in professional football. Despite the decline of the Association Table as the audience passed him while standing ovation.
Irish national
Irwin played in the period between 1990 and 1999 a total of 56 games for the Irish national football team, scoring four goals. He had completed on 12 September 1990 against Morocco ( 1-0) and from then conquered a permanent place his first senior international. In the 1994 World Cup in the USA, he stood in the first two group matches against Italy ( 1-0) and Mexico (1:2) in the starting line before a yellow card suspension prevented his participation in the third game and he at Achtelfinalaus against the Netherlands ( 0:2 ) was disregarded.
For the next three final tournaments of World and European Championships to Irwin not qualified with Ireland and the defeat in the play- offs to participate in the Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium against Turkey (with two draws) was in November 1999, his last appearance as an Irish national team.
After the End of career
After the end of his active career Irwin returned to Manchester to work at the club's TV station MUTV as an expert and presenter. To this end, he became involved in reporting to various football tournaments for the Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. For the Irish Sunday World newspaper, he also writes as a columnist.
Personal
His son Liam (* 1992) followed in his footsteps and is also active as a professional footballer. After working in the youth selections of Ireland, he played his club football for Bolton Wanderers, FC Altrincham and Stockport Sports FC.
Title / Awards
- UEFA Champions League ( 1): 1999
- European Cup Winners' Cup ( 1): 1991
- UEFA Super Cup ( 1): 1991
- World Cup ( 1): 1999
- English Championship (7): 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001
- FA Cup ( 2): 1994, 1996
- League Cup ( 1): 1992
- Charity Shield ( 3): 1993, 1996, 1997
- PFA Team of the Year (4): 1989/90 1993/94 1989 /99 2002/ 03