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EXCLUSIVE COLUMN

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THIS week is up there with the greatest weeks in the history of Irish football, all because of one thing. Honesty.

Honesty in football, just like in life - is too often, so hard to find, yet impossible to beat. There is nothing wrong with Irish football showing the world that being Irish means something. That something is Irish honesty means everything.

Do you remember before Heimir arrived, apparently we had to be educated by the previous regime that winning wasn't enough, that we had to win in a certain way? The fools lapped it up, because the most dishonest thing is to ever believe football is NOT a results business. It is. That dishonesty haunted Irish football before the arrival of Jack Charlton. Heimir Hallgrímsson has brought honesty back into fashion, because he’s so damn honest. Just like Big Jack.

We were all crying with joy on Sunday evening after witnessing something incredible. It was pure magic. Heimir was pure calm. Troy Parrott was pure magic. What about those five goals? Epic. Everyone of them crucial, all of them so memorable, yet what touched us all was the simple honesty and remarkable authenticity of a young Irish kid living his dream.

We shall never forget those goals but what about the interviews?

Full of a tearful honesty of what being Irish means to so many of us. No PR scripted words for the camera, but just a young Irish hero, being honest. Troy Parrott we salute you.

On Thursday night it was the big Aviva battle of the No.7's. CR7 versus Troy. It was the deluded Ronaldo circus against the determination of Troy Parrott, showing the world that loving your country can be so much more powerful than simply loving yourself. Troy won that battle hands down because of honesty. What a great lesson for us all, especially our politicians.