McCarthy hopes for an Irish fairytale.

By Alistair Grant, PA Sport

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Mick McCarthy is no Hans Christian Andersen, but do not back against the Republic of Ireland's adopted son writing one of the World Cup's most famous fairytales this summer.

Barnsley-born McCarthy is a gruff, straight-talking Yorkshireman and not the sort of guy likely to pick up his pen and break into poetic verse to rival the celebrated Danish story-teller.

The Ireland boss will leave the cultured writing to the massed ranks of the global media that will scrutinise the 32-nation festival of football.

They will devote a fair chunk of their column inches to McCarthy, a man determined to carve out Ireland's latest and most impressive chapter in the World Cup history books.

The 43-year-old possesses all the characteristics of a manager with the ability to be a storming success. He adopts a tough, no-nonsense approach and has injected bucketfuls of spirit and belief into his team.

His predecessor Jack Charlton is already guaranteed his place in Emerald Isle folklore, but McCarthy is close to forging that same bond with the passionate fans of the green army.

That rapport between manager and supporter is essential if McCarthy is to cement his growing reputation as a successful international manager - and equally vital to ensure the Irish supporters making the trek to the World Cup are in buoyant mood.

Those Irish fans abroad have carved out a fine reputation down the years. Every Irish bar in the cities of Niigata, Ibaraki and Yokohama will be stocking up on bumper supplies of Guinness for when the Irish come to town - and, even at steep Far East prices of up to £6 a pint, expect every last drop of the black stuff to be drained by the travelling support.

So while the team in the stands will certainly not be lacking, just how far can Roy Keane & Co can go on the pitch?

The Irish suffered qualification heartbreak at the play-off stage for both France 98 and Euro 2000 - but came through a pressure-cooker test in Tehran to overcome Iran and clinch their place in the 2002 tournament.

Now the real stuff starts and McCarthy has the Big Jack legacy to overcome. In Italia 90, McCarthy was a player as Ireland memorably advanced past Romania in a nerve-jangling penalty shoot-out before going out in the quarter-finals.

And four years, later, in the United States, Ray Houghton's sensational strike clinched a famous 1-0 victory against Italy in New York.

Expectations are now soaring once again. Ireland's Group E draw alongside fading giants Germany, unpredictable Cameroon and minnows Saudi Arabia is very promising. A second-round encounter with Spain or Paraguay beckons - and a last-eight date with Italy or Portugal could follow after that.

Supporters dreaming of quarter-final success a dozen years after the glory days of Italia 90 may be ignoring the quality of the other sides in the tournament and allowing themselves to be swept away on a tide of emotion.

Then again, that is what Irish football is all about - so maybe McCarthy will be the man to write this summer's World Cup fairytale after all.