On this day in 1897, Ireland became the first national team to play under an official manager.
Back then, national teams were selected by their country’s respective Football Associations and coached by the team’s captain. But Ireland broke the norm in 1897 by appointing Billy Crone as their manager. Crone, a former defender who played for Irish club Distillery and was now the manager of the club, was approached for the managerial role which he gladly accepted. Crone had only been in charge of Distillery for a year when he took the Ireland national side under his wings.