‘Class act’ Michael Robinson was last night remembered as a ‘gangbuster’ striker who couldn’t do enough to help his Ireland team-mates.
A European Cup winner with Liverpool who won 24 caps for Ireland, Robinson died in Spain today aged 61 after a battle with skin cancer.
Former Ireland boss Mick McCarthy played with the English-born attacker in the early stages of his own international career.
And McCarthy said: “I was lucky to play alongside him for a couple of years and he was a great player for Eoin Hand and for Ireland.
“Michael only played twice for Jack but he was with us in Iceland for the real start of the Jack era and that was fitting.
“Not long after that tournament he left English football for Spain and Osasuna and that was a big deal as well in those days.
“Very few players would have taken a chance like that but Michael did and not alone did he adapt so well to Spanish life, he became a huge broadcaster and businessman.
“I was full of admiration for the manner in which he did that and will always remember him as a great footballer and a real pleasure to know away from the game.”
Former Ireland striker Niall Quinn used to watch Robinson from the terraces as a fan before becoming team-mates.
Quinn, now the interim deputy CEO of the FAI, said: “Michael was brilliant in those days.
“He wasn’t as silken-skilled as Don Givens before him in that centre-forward role but he was energetic and so selfless.
“I’d say he was a gangbuster striker who left everything out on the pitch and all the fans really loved that about him.
“I was lucky enough then to room with Michael when Big Jack called me up for that Icelandic triangular tournament in 1986. He couldn’t do enough for me.
“He was a class act back then, well dressed, smartly presented and with the coolest watch I’d ever seen!
“I’ll always remember him sipping decanted wine in Iceland when the rest of us were downing pints after winning that tournament.”
Quinn added: “The news today is dreadful and the thoughts of all his former colleagues and the Association go out to Michael’s family.”
Eoin Hand was first to cap Robinson in 1980 and he told RTE: "I'm so sad to hear of his passing. He was a young man at 61.
"There was a lovely naivety about him. He was a very jovial fella, I kept in touch with him all through the years.
"He was a very intelligent guy. He went out to Spain, learned the language and had a great career after football in broadcasting.
"As a personal friend we used to have great chats so I'm very, very sad to hear of his passing."
