Playing for Ireland meant the world to new senior assistant manager Keith Andrews, who hopes there will be an "exciting next chapter" in Irish football.
Andrews has made the step up with the new Republic of Ireland senior manager Stephen Kenny after they forged a successful partnership managing the under-21 team.
The news broke over a week ago that Kenny would take over from Mick McCarthy after the latter agreed to step aside early following the postponement of the Euro 2020 finals.
Less than 24 hours later, Kenny appointed Andrews to his backroom team along with Damien Duff and Alan Kelly, something Andrews says gave him great pride.
"It's obviously been a bit of a whirlwind couple of weeks or so, it happened very quickly," Andrews told FAI TV.
"With everything that's going on in the world, it feels slightly surreal but, nonetheless, to be named assistant to Stephen is a very proud moment in my career.
"[It's] one I've worked hard at and I've enjoyed working with Stephen in the last year or so with the under-21s, so I'm delighted to make the step up."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SF36HE2JIk
Andrews admits that celebrating his new role isn't something that he felt like doing under the current circumstances, with the whole country at a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He also echoed Kenny's recent message of support for frontline workers at this time.
"It feels bizarre, doesn't it? There a huge side that is looking at what's going on in the world, in the country and on your doorstep", Andrews admitted.
"You're glued to the news day-in and day-out and not really feeling like you can do much about it to be perfectly honest, other than to stay at home and try to look after your loved ones
"It's been a difficult few weeks for all of us and some more than others. The admiration that I've got for those frontline workers, people working in shops, bus drivers....is huge.
"At times you have to let [the new position] sink in and look at what you've achieved in getting this role. It's one I'm very proud of."
The 39-year-old former Blackburn Rovers and MK Dons midfielder was a late bloomer on the international scene, making his debut under Giovanni Trapattoni in a friendly against Poland, aged 28.
The Dubliner says that pulling on the green shirt was the ultimate achievement in his footballing career.
"When I grew up and as a kid, the absolute be-all and end-all for me was to play for Ireland and it wasn't about growing up and playing for Manchester United or Liverpool, it was about playing for Ireland and worshipping players that wore those green jerseys. That's what it was all about," he added.
"Every step of my club career, if I'm being honest, I felt like I left it too late and it probably wouldn't come, wouldn't arrive, that honour of wearing the green jersey.
"So when it did come, I was 28, it meant the absolute world to me. [There were] decisions that went on at club level, to benefit, prolonging, my international career, making sure I was in the best possible way to play for Ireland.
"I was very driven to play for Ireland and it's always been the case. I've been very patriotic from a young age."
It is unlikely that the new Irish coaching ticket will be able to work with their new squad until at least September and there will be a huge amount of action when football does come out of its current enforced hibernation.
There is still a Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia to be played as well as six UEFA Nations League matches, home and away, against Wales, Finland and Bulgaria.
Andrews is hoping that he and Kenny can give the Green Army some new memories to cherish.
"People are going through a lot of pain and anguish at the moment and that's probably going to go on for a period of time of course but I suppose one release for people and one element of enjoyment, it's always been the case, if you go back to [Euro] '88, [Italia] '90, there was some tough times [for people] in the eighties," says Andrews.
"So hopefully we can bring some good times to the people and give them something to look forward to because the amount of games that hopefully we are going to have, the different competitions that we are going to be involved in, huge, huge games and hopefully it will be an exciting next chapter."
Andrews is speaking in a week when he helped launch the new FAI Homeskills initiative which is a series of online coaching sessions.
He hopes that it will give boys and girls "a little bit of focus and a little bit of enjoyment" while staying at home.
He added; "We've seen some brilliant videos coming in with tins of paint and bits of turf. It's been brilliant to see and hopefully it can continue over the next days and weeks."
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