The Mrs asked me 'what was Portugal like?' 'Haven't a f**king clue,' I truthfully replied

THE postman had delivered a present and the sports editor had some news.

- BY GARRY DOYLE

A press pass for the Sydney Olympics was unpacked.

The Games in Sydney coincided with Ireland's World Cup qualifier in Portugal. Not just that but that year's All-Ireland football final had gone to a replay meaning the A-Listers on the sports desk were otherwise engaged.

And that meant one thing.

As a young reporter, you came across plenty of closed doors, but sometimes you can wedge your way in.

"Don't get notions about yourself," the sports editor said. "You might work hard but you've no style about you. You are Irish sports journalism's answer to Lee Carsley.

Except that I was about to be given a chance.

Lisbon, October 2000, Ireland against Portugal in a World Cup qualifier in The Stadium of Light.

Twenty-five years old and assigned the first foreign trip of my career. I wasn't so much wet behind the ears as drenched. And it would show.

As Ireland return to Portugal this weekend, almost a quarter of a century to the day since my maiden trip to Lisbon, so much has changed.

The Irish team, for a start, were good then. Access was even better.

An unfunny colleague dubbed me the Corridor Correspondent because I'd slavishly lurk outside the team's games room and sheepishly ask any player in the vicinity for a quick interview.

And more times than not, they'd oblige.

That sort of thing doesn't happen anymore and there is a mad irony about how in a period of my career when I had so little experience, I got as many one-on-one interviews as the paper could print.

On that Portuguese trip, Kevin Kilbane, Gary Breen, Mark Kinsella and Alan Kelly all stopped for 15-minute chats.

We worked hard rather than smart. The night before the game, half the press corps went out on the town. I, instead, took a four-hour round trip to report on Ireland's Under 21 team.