GET JACK TO WHERE WE ONCE BELONGED!

ALDO Quietly confident

- BY MARK MCCADDEN

JOHN ALDRIDGE reckons there is a bit of the old Jack Charlton pragmatism in Ireland's current manager.

And the Boys in Green legend, who played at two World Cups and a European Championships under the legendary late Geordie, believes that could be the key to our return to the biggest stage in international football.

The former Liverpool and Real Sociedad striker has been impressed with what he has seen so far under Heimir Hallgrimsson.

Aldridge, whose 19 goals has him fourth in the all-time Irish goalscorers' lists, said: "We've got to go back to the Jack Charlton strategy, because we won't outscore teams, you've got to get clean sheets.