While none of the home nations qualified for the 1994 World Cup, the Republic of Ireland did.
It was a second successive appearance at the tournament for the Boys in Green, who were again led by 1966 World Cup winner Jack Charlton.
At Italia ’90, the weather had been hot – but at USA ’94, it was a different kettle of fish altogether.
The iconic image of Charlton launching an open bottle of water in the direction of Andy Townsend and Tommy Coyne always provides a reminder of that.
Jack Charlton led the Republic of Ireland at Italia ’90 and USA ’94
He clashed with FIFA over their policy that bottles could not be thrown to the players on the pitch, so took to throwing the contents instead before FIFA later relented and allowed water bags to be thrown.
“They trust me to do what is right for them and I will continue to do it,” Charlton said. “We have been right in pursuing this matter and FIFA’s change of heart proves that.”
Charlton was rarely seen without his white baseball cap that summer. Steve Staunton famously even wore one during the national anthem before the second group game against Mexico.
One of the players in the Ireland squad that summer was Phil Babb. The defender, then 23, had just completed his second full Premier League season at Coventry.
He made his international debut in a 0-0 friendly draw with Russia in March 1994, then played in the next four friendlies leading up to the tournament.
Phil Babb played in all four of the Republic of Ireland’s games at the 1994 World Cup
Nothing was set in stone, but he knew he would at least have a decent chance of being included in Charlton’s 22-man squad, so started to physically prepare himself.
“A coach at Coventry asked me if I wanted to do anything specific – we ended up doing 12-minute sessions in a sauna!” Babb recalls, with a smile.
“We were doing burpees, press-ups, just trying to acclimatise to that intense heat. We did about six sessions – but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone now!
“I was a fit lad and had played pretty much all the Premier League games Coventry had played that season. I adapted to the heat pretty well, but I know some of the older lads really struggled.”
Babb started alongside Paul McGrath in the heart of defence for Ireland’s tournament opener at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.
Ray Houghton’s stunning strike earned a shock 1-0 win over Italy
That Saturday, they shocked an Italy side that featured Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi and Roberto Baggio. John Aldridge’s stunner sealed a memorable 1-0 win.
It was an achievement made all the more impressive by the fact the Azzurri went on to finish as runners-up – but also given the fact it was played in temperatures exceeding 30C.
“When we walked out onto the field, about two hours before kick-off, you could tell it was going to be absolutely roasting,” he recalls.
“You could tell that straight away and we didn’t stay out long. I just checked the grass to see which studs I wanted, then I went straight back in. I know some of the lads were walking around and taking the atmosphere in, but I thought: ‘This is too hot’.
“I didn’t go out for a warm-up with the rest of the lads, either. I stayed in the changing room. It was built for NFL, so they had a 40m sprint track. I warmed up in there and waited until we went out. It was brutal, it was searing, it was punishing.
“It affected everyone’s game. You were saturated after just 10 minutes walking onto a pitch, so you had to conserve energy at the right times.
“Recovery was very basic and there was very little ball work because of the demands of the actual games and the fluids you lose. When you’re that dehydrated, it’s quite difficult. You want a drink, but you don’t feel hungry and that is a key part of the recuperation.”
Babb, whose Ireland were knocked out by Dennis Bergkamp’s Netherlands, joined Liverpool later that summer
Thirty-two years on from that tournament, football has evolved exponentially.
Sports science has taken on a key role in the game and, this summer, is likely to play into the way teams approach games tactically due to the heat. A slower tempo is expected in many.
Charlton was not prepared to facilitate the same in 1994, though.
“We only played one way, so if you tried to go off-piste, Jack would certainly let you know!” adds Babb.
“We had one style of play, with a lone striker. If it wasn’t Tommy Coyne, it might have been Niall Quinn up there and we’d be putting long balls up to him, with either willing runners out wide or the midfield bombing on.
“That was the Irish way back then. Tommy ran tirelessly, to the point where he actually collapsed with heat exhaustion on the plane home.
“I think Jack’s sports science was a barrel of Guinness in his room and he’d call the lads in and have a pint! I’m sure there’s a high calorific content in that, so maybe he was ahead of his time!”
In spite of that, Babb’s memories of the tournament are largely positive.
“I enjoyed it, I have to admit! I’d rather play in the searing heat than a wet Tuesday night in Hull,” he says.
“I was a fit lad and it was quite easy for me playing alongside Paul McGrath, who was imperious in that tournament. I learned a lot from him and how he conserved his energy.
“I felt I got stronger because I got used to it. I guess our 0-0 draw against Norway would probably attest to the heat and the style of play.
“It all comes down to the individual. Footballers are supreme athletes now and they leave nothing to chance, so I think they’ll cope a lot better than we did in the mid-90s.”
The methods may have moved on since Charlton was throwing water onto the pitch, but Babb’s memories from USA ’94 provide a reminder this World Cup will be a battle against more than just the opposition.
