On the positive side, Ronnie was part of the Liverpool squad that won the European Cup as well as six league titles, three FA Cups and three League Cups. In addition to playing for Liverpool for 15 years – and being captain during the 1988-89 season in place of Alan Hansen – Whelan was at Southend United as player-manager, after which he managed Panionios, Olympiakos Nicosia and Apollon Limassol in Greece and Cyprus.
Ronnie Whelan was also capped 53 times by his national team the Republic of Ireland, which saw him appearing in two World Cups and a European Football Championship. Since he retired, he has been a pundit for the Irish broadcaster RTÉ Sport and carved a career for himself as a highly respected and in-demand motivational speaker. He is particularly popular at corporate events.
While Ronnie Whelan entertains audiences with wonderful tales from his days at the highest levels of the game that is football, he also has a sad story to tell of how his 18-year-old daughter was seriously ill with Myasthenia. She made a full recovery but she was misdiagnosed and sent to a gym to exercise – which was the worst possible option. “I feel very guilty that I pushed her so hard”, he says. Ronnie’s inspirational story will touch the hearts of anyone, whether or not they have ever been a parent.
