Like many prospective Irish soccer players, the road began in England for Hennessy, now 53 and still possessing his native accent.

In the early '80s, the then-teenage Ireland youth international tried to make it at Arsenal but by his own admission was not of the required level to break through at a time when future captain Tony Adams and a certain Niall Quinn were coming through.

"I went to Arsenal but wasn't good enough," Hennessy tells me.

"I have to admit I wasn't good enough for that level at that time. But I do remember being over-awed with even Highbury and Charlie Nicholas and David O'Leary and maybe I didn't have the mental skill-set at that time as well.

"Good enough to get over [to England] and good enough to play for Ireland and the League of Ireland.

"But for that level, you have to have that extra 5-10% that separates you from the rest, which I didn't have."

He adds that Quinn was "wonderful" to him, a "class act that took me under his wing whilst I was over there.

"Niall and I were on the same Under-18 team under Liam Tuohy and Brian Kerr. He was kind of finding his way at the time, if I remember, breaking through, trying to make the grade.

"If I'm honest, I thought Tony Adams at the time was the standout. He was clearly ahead, certainly of me and most of the team.

"Tony was just clearly physically and mentally a great personality. He was easy to spot. He was your shining talent."