Northern Ireland v Israel

IS IT TIME THAT WE HAD MORE TIME-OUTS?

The arrival of the Israeli team in Belfast reminds many of us old-timers of a dramatic moment in our qualifying campaign for the 1982 World Cup.

Gareth McAuley had headed us into the lead early in the second half but our Ukrainian opponents had the lion’s share of possession and looked well capable of regaining the initiative. Then the heavens opened in a spectacular hailstorm. The pitch was covered in a white carpet made up of little particles of ice. The referee had no choice but to take both teams off. It was a time-out courtesy of the French weather! I feared the worst. Our technically superior opponents now had time to regroup and reorganise. We could have done without this interruption. However, a time-out benefits both teams and our shrewd manager made sure that his warriors were in no mood to lose on the biggest stage any of them had ever trodden on before. When the action resumed Michael O’Neill’s men were more than equal to the challenge. Perhaps the time-out is on the brink of being accepted in football. At the end of last season when Northern Ireland were touring Central America there were breaks during each half for drinks in the searing heat of Panama and Costa Rica. The next World Cup finals will take place in the baking oven of Qatar. The drinks break will surely be FIFA policy then? Even super-fit players can only stand so much in intense heat before dehydration damages fitness and concentration. As for us fans our summer time-out has been shorter this year. The crowning of France as world champions of the beautiful game took place just a few short weeks ago and here we are back in action with the UEFA Nations League and very much looking forward to the challenge of the Euro 2020 qualification matches. Bring on the Israelis but make sure the lights don’t fail this time. Words Cunningham Peacock

In March 1980 Israel and Northern Ireland lined up at the Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv. Northern Ireland fans had high hopes of our new manager, Billy Bingham, a veteran of the successful 1958 team. We knew that he was a shrewd leader of men. However, the Mediterranean heat and some slick play by the home team showed that Bingham’s reorganised line-up was less than confident of victory. As the second half progressed the boys in green and white saw less and less of the ball. It was plain to spectators that if any side were to win this tussle it would not be the visitors who were now pinned back and very much on the back foot. Then fate took a hand. The floodlights failed. The referee took both teams off the field while electricians went to work to put right the damage. It was a time-out, something familiar in other sports but unheard of in football. When the lights came back on the Northern Ireland team had more of a spring in their step. They had topped up with water to reinvigorate dehydrated bodies and they had benefitted from the first of many pep talks by a manager on the brink of greatness. The rest is history. Northern Ireland held on for a scoreless draw and set off on their triumphant march to the finals in Spain. The time-out is officially recognised in many sports, such as baseball, basketball and volleyball. Each coach is allowed to call for a short break in play a specified number of times. As happened in Tel Aviv in 1980 the time-out is usually of most value to the teamwho are losing or who are under more pressure. The players enjoy a vital breather and the coach has a chance to reorganise and inspire his team. The Tel Aviv floodlight blackout came to my mind during the 2016 Euros. I was one of 20,000-plus green-clad fans in the glorious Stade de Lyon.

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