When Ireland Almost Went to Spain
(But Ended Up in the Local)
Stories of near misses in sports, those moments where glory eludes reach, hold a unique poignancy. In "Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors", Paul Little masterfully reconstructs one such tale: the Republic of Ireland's heartbreaking journey through the 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Little, who previously delighted readers with his exploration of Dixie Dean's time at Sligo Rovers, brings the same keen eye for detail to this compelling narrative. But the novel isn't just a sports book; it's a time machine that transports readers back to Ireland in the early 1980s, a country grappling with economic depression while its football team dared to dream.
The book's greatest strength lies in its innovative approach to storytelling. Little's choice to write match descriptions in the present tense is truly inspired, evoking a sense of immediacy that transports readers to the stands, their hearts pounding with every near miss and contentious call. You can almost smell the wet grass and hear the roar of the crowd as he reconstructs all eight qualifying matches with vivid precision.
The transition from John Giles to Eoin Hand as manager emerges as a crucial subplot, handled with nuance and depth. Little draws from extensive research in Irish newspapers and television archives to paint a complete picture of the era, from squad selections to post-match reactions. The result feels less like reading history and more like living it.
What sets this book apart is Little's personal touch. He weaves his childhood memories of 1980's Dublin throughout the narrative—the street games, the TV shows, and the textures of daily life—creating a rich tapestry that contextualises the football story within a broader cultural moment. These personal vignettes serve as a reminder that sports stories are always human stories at their core.
The "what if" chapter that closes the book offers a fascinating exercise in sporting speculation, featuring Eoin Hand's own reflections on potential alternate histories. It's a fitting end to a work that's as much about dreams and possibilities as it is about actual events.
Little's prose is sharp and evocative, managing to capture both the technical aspects of the beautiful game and its emotional impact on a nation's psyche. While the book will naturally appeal most to Irish football fans and those who lived through the era, its themes of hope, disappointment, and resilience speak to universal human experiences.
"Shattered Dreams, Sliding Doors" is more than just a sports book — it's a cultural history, a memoir, and a love letter to a time when football offered escape and hope to a troubled nation. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of sports and society or a well-told tale of what might have been.
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48 NOW AVAILABLE
Published: June 9, 2025 NOW AVAILABLE
Price: £18.99
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1836801831
ISBN-13: 978-1836801832
Dimensions: 222 x 144 (mm);
