Ronnie Whelan facts for kids
Whelan in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 September 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.75 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Home Farm | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1977–1979 | Home Farm | 45 | (7) |
| 1979–1994 | Liverpool | 362 | (46) |
| 1994–1996 | Southend United | 34 | (1) |
| Total | 441 | (54) | |
| National team | |||
| 1979 | League of Ireland XI | 1 | (1) |
| 1981 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 1994 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 | (0) |
| 1981–1995 | Republic of Ireland | 53 | (3) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1995–1997 | Southend United | ||
| 1998–1999 | Panionios | ||
| 2000–2001 | Olympiakos Nicosia | ||
| 2002 | Apollon Limassol | ||
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Ronald Andrew Whelan (born 25 September 1961), known as Ronnie Whelan, is a famous Irish former professional football player. He mostly played as a midfielder but could also play as a defender. Ronnie Whelan was a very important player for Liverpool during the 1980s. This was a time when Liverpool won many major football titles.
He played for Liverpool from 1979 to 1994 and scored many important goals. In a poll of 110,000 Liverpool fans, Ronnie Whelan was voted the 30th best player in the club's history.
After leaving Liverpool, Whelan finished his playing career at Southend United. He also became their player-manager, meaning he played and managed the team at the same time. Later, he managed other football clubs in Greece and Cyprus.
Ronnie Whelan was also a key player for the Republic of Ireland national football team. He played in one UEFA European Football Championship (in 1988) and two World Cups (in 1990 and 1994). He played for Ireland 53 times between 1981 and 1995.
Since he stopped playing and managing, Ronnie Whelan has become a sports commentator. He often appears on RTÉ Sport in Ireland, sharing his football knowledge.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ronnie Whelan was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a family that loved football. His father, Ronnie Sr., was also a famous Irish football player. Ronnie Sr. played for the Irish national team and was a big part of the successful St Patrick's Athletic team in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ronnie's brother, Paul Whelan, also played professional football for clubs like Bohemian FC and Shamrock Rovers.
Ronnie Whelan was known for being a very skilled and hardworking midfielder. When he was 16, he played his first game in the League of Ireland for Home Farm. This was on his birthday at Tolka Park. Before that, he had a trial with Manchester United, but he didn't join their team.
Playing for Liverpool FC
Joining the Reds
Ronnie Whelan joined Liverpool Football Club on 19 September 1979. He was signed by the famous manager Bob Paisley for a small fee of £35,000, just before his 18th birthday. He made his first team debut for Liverpool 18 months later, on 3 April 1981. In that game, he scored his first goal in the 27th minute, helping Liverpool win 3–0 against Stoke City at Anfield. This was his only game for the first team that season, as he spent most of his early time playing for the reserve team.
Winning Trophies
In the next season, Whelan earned a regular spot on the left side of Liverpool's midfield. He took over the No. 5 shirt from Ray Kennedy, another great player. It was a fantastic season for Whelan. He helped Liverpool win another League championship. They also won the League Cup again, beating Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. Whelan scored two goals in that final, including the goal that tied the game and the winning goal in extra time.
In 1983, Liverpool won both the League championship and the League Cup again. Whelan scored the winning goal in the League Cup final against Manchester United, with a curving shot that secured a 2–1 win. Whelan then played a big part in Liverpool winning three major trophies in 1984: the League title, the League Cup, and the European Cup. He was injured for some of that season but still contributed a lot.
After a season without trophies in 1985, Liverpool had a very successful year in 1986 under their new manager, Kenny Dalglish. Liverpool won another League title and also the FA Cup. Whelan helped set up two goals in the 3–1 victory over their rivals Everton. This was the first time these two teams met in an FA Cup final. It was only the third time in the 20th century that a team won both the League and the FA Cup in the same season. Whelan also scored three goals in one game against Coventry City that season.
Captain and Leader
In the 1988–89 season, Ronnie Whelan became the captain of Liverpool because the regular captain, Alan Hansen, was injured. He really enjoyed this role. During this difficult time, especially after the Hillsborough disaster, Whelan was a key leader for the team both on and off the field. Even when Alan Hansen recovered, Whelan kept the captaincy to provide stability. He was the one who lifted the FA Cup trophy after Liverpool beat Everton 3–2 in the final. However, Liverpool narrowly missed out on winning the league title that year.
Liverpool won the League again in 1990, and Whelan was a central player for most of the season. He missed the last few games due to an injury. One funny moment from that season was when Whelan accidentally scored an own goal from far away, chipping the ball over his own goalkeeper. But Liverpool still won that game 2–1.
Later Years at Anfield
Whelan continued to be a regular player until an injury in February 1991 kept him out for the rest of the season. For the rest of his time at Liverpool, he was often injured. He missed much of the 1991–92 season but came back to score an important goal against Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final. Liverpool went on to win the FA Cup that year, but Whelan did not play in the final.
When he was fit, manager Graeme Souness gave him many chances to play in the new Premier League during the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons. However, these were not the best years for the club. At the end of the 1993–94 season, the new manager, Roy Evans, decided not to offer Whelan a new contract.
In total, Ronnie Whelan played 493 games for Liverpool and scored 73 goals. He won six League championship titles, three FA Cups, one European Cup, and three League Cup medals during his time with the club.
Playing for Ireland
By the time he was 20, Ronnie Whelan had played for the Republic of Ireland national football team at many different levels, including schoolboy, youth, and senior teams. He made his senior debut for Ireland on 29 April 1981. He came on as a substitute in a 3–1 win against Czechoslovakia at Lansdowne Road.
Whelan was an important part of the Irish team that qualified for the UEFA European Championship in 1988, held in West Germany. He was in the team that famously beat England 1–0. In the next game, he scored a spectacular goal in a draw against the USSR. Ireland was knocked out of the competition after losing to the Netherlands.
Ronnie Whelan also played in the 1990 World Cup and the 1994 World Cup, though he had limited playing time in those tournaments. Overall, he played 53 times for his country and scored three goals.
Life After Playing: Manager and Pundit
After leaving Liverpool in 1994, Ronnie Whelan joined Southend United. A year later, he became their player-manager. He managed the team until 1997, when they were relegated from Division One.
He then worked as a manager for clubs in Greece, like Panionios, and in Cyprus, like Apollon Limassol and Olympiakos Nicosia. His biggest success as a manager was with Panionios in 1999. His team reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a European competition, for the first time in their history. They were eventually knocked out by S.S. Lazio, who went on to win the cup.
Today, Ronnie Whelan works as a football pundit and commentator. He regularly appears on RTÉ Sport in Ireland, providing analysis for Premier League and UEFA Champions League games. He has also been part of RTÉ Sport's coverage for several FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship tournaments.
What Awards Did Ronnie Whelan Win?
Liverpool
- Football League First Division: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90
- FA Cup: 1985–86, 1988–89, 1991–92
- League Cup: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84
- FA Charity Shield: 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990
- European Cup: 1983–84
- Football League Super Cup: 1985–86
- Dubai Super Cup: 1986–87
Images for kids
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Ronnie Whelan in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Ronnie Whelan para niños
