Paul McGrath believes the Republic of Ireland have the spirit and togetherness required to emulate the feats of Jack Charlton's teams of the 90s ahead of their Euro 2016 odyssey.
Martin O'Neill's current crop will take on Sweden, Belgium and Italy in France and will be the outsiders to emerge from a daunting Group E.
However McGrath, an iconic presence at the heart of the defence in a golden era for Ireland, is backing them to create their own 'Giant's Stadium' moment and write themselves into history.
"I think we've a great chance," he told Marian Finucane on RTÉ Radio 1. "I think Martin and Roy have galvanised the team. They believe in each other. They are now playing as a football team together.
“Martin is the strategist and Roy, no one wants to get shouted down by Roy. He keeps everyone on their toes.
"Some teams may be technically more gifted than us but the Irish have this spirit about them.
"We have this thing where we get a little bit taller when we walk out onto a football pitch"
“After the Scottish game I thought we were out of the competition because we drew [in Dublin], we lost to them away, and I just thought, ‘that’s it’.
"I was doing a thing at the Aviva and I got on stage before Martin and I actually said that. I didn’t think Martin was at the side of the stage, I didn’t see him. I gave my opinion, I said, 'I think that’s us finished with the Euros' and then Martin gets on and says, ‘I think every word Paul has spoken there is wrong’.
"Thank God he was right and I was wrong. It shows what a manager he is because we still had Germany to come. To take four points off the world champions is an amazing thing to do."
Recounting that memorable day in New York when Ray Houghton's early strike - and a famously heroic display from himself - slayed a star-studded Italian side, McGrath said the swell of Irish support inside the stadium instilled the team with a confidence and belief they hadn't possessed until they walked out onto the field.
"We thought the Italians would buy all the tickets but when we walked out in the stadium it was a sea of green white and orange," he said.
"It changed our opinion straight away. We just thought, 'oh this is like home, only bigger'. I was thinking, 'the one thing we can’t do is lose but we might get a draw'. To win with Ray’s, I have to call it a shinner, it was one of the greatest days of my life."
Eighteen years after Ireland's maiden journey to a major tournament, in Germany '88, another famous Irish victory remains fresh in the former Aston Villa defender's mind.
It was Houghton who took the glory that day too, looping a header past Peter Shilton to give the Irish victory over England.
The green army played their part that day too, and McGrath talked up the importance of having pride in the shirt when it comes to the big occasions.
"Irish supporters went there to do one of two things: to support the team and to drink as much Guinness as they could!
"It was a great event. There was any trouble from the Irish lads except one or two probably fell asleep with a bit too much alcohol in them.
"We have this thing where we get a little bit taller when we walk out onto a football pitch and I think the lads have that now through Roy and Martin."
