Former Sunderland manager Peter Reid's Irish connections are pretty strong.
On one hand, his ancestry is tied to this island and in 2002 the former Everton and England midfielder was interviewed for the Ireland job as he recalled on Off The Ball's Copper Face Jacks Roadshow in association with BETDAQ, where he was joined by his ex-Sunderland player and new OTB co-presenter Kevin Kilbane.
"Mr Delaney was it?" he began as he tried to recall who his FAI interviewer may have been that day.
"I think it was in Chester if I'm not mistaken."
However, he admitted that he never felt like he would get a position that would eventually be filled by Brian Kerr at the time.
"I thought I did well in the interview but I thought they'd made their mind up at the time. Brian got the job and I could understand that. I think he did well in the job."
Reid also spoke about his own family history.
Peter Reid on stage with us right now telling us about his Irish heritage #EasterRising #OffTheBall @CopperFaceJacks pic.twitter.com/dFoquPyzhd
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) August 10, 2016
"My grandfather was involved in the Rising many years ago and any chance I got when I was a manager of a football club, I always came over [to Ireland]. Great, great country," he said.
"I think he got out of Ireland because the British were after him and then he met my grandma in Liverpool and stayed. So it's quite unique really."
Reid also revealed that he tried to learn about his family's history through former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The 60-year-old, who won 13 international caps and won the league and FA Cup with Everton, looked back on his playing career, including the 1986 World Cup match in which Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal knocked England out of the tournament.
But he also recalled when he tried to chase down Maradona when he scored the completely legitimate Goal of the Century solo effort.
Peter Reid absolving himself of any blame for that Maradonna goal in 1986. pic.twitter.com/MXOIFnoLYD
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) August 10, 2016
He also shared a story that involved a moment of getting lost in translation against Bayern Munich, before talking about how important Niall Quinn was to his Sunderland side on and off the pitch.
