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Give Martin O'Neill a break

Hard to believe the shock at some of the reported carry-on in the Irish training camp. Newsflash, pe...
TodayFM
TodayFM

9:50 AM - 11 Sep 2018



Give Martin O'Neill a brea...

Sport

Give Martin O'Neill a break

TodayFM
TodayFM

9:50 AM - 11 Sep 2018



Hard to believe the shock at some of the reported carry-on in the Irish training camp.

Newsflash, people - these things happen.

These are real conversations.

If you are charged with guiding a nation into the heat of international battle, there will be times when unparlimentary language is used.

That is not so say everyday interaction, should be of the type that would make a Mother Superior blush.

Believe it or not, people do lose the rag, as in life.

What does that mean in the bigger scheme of things?

We ALL get livid and lose the rag from time to time.

Get over it.

Who knows why?

In the real world it could be prompted by say over a bereavement, mortgage pressure, reasons someone hasn't disclosed like a family illness or just because.

The bigger question is - does this form a regular pattern of behaviour?

Is there a strong understanding there between the two parties to rebuild bridges that may have been broken by the outburst?

If not, then that is a problem.

And another thing. ( On a roll here!) The Republic of Ireland does not have the players capable of winning major world tournaments.

Fact.

Here in Ireland, in all codes, there appears to be a tendency to expect world-beating results all the time; when we don't get them, then there's an outcry.

It's just bonkers. GAA managers, rugby managers and soccer managers have all paid the price over unrealistic expectations.

Martin O'Neill has insisted he still wants the passion Roy Keane used to drive Manchester United to the pinnacle of club soccer within his Republic of Ireland set-up.

The Derryman found himself having to defend his "brilliant" assistant manager as they prepared for the friendly in Poland after an alleged foul-mouthed rant from the former United skipper.

In the age of GDPR (look it up) if I was Stephen Ward I would be concerned about how his WhatsApp audio emerged on social media giving his take on the apparent row between Roy and Harry Arter.

Firstly - why record a version in the first place?

Secondly, be aware anything you send on via that platform can go anywhere.

It is supposedly defender Stephen Ward outlining a version of Keane's training ground altercation with the pair during the summer.

In it, Ward claims that Keane called Cardiff midfielder Arter, who is on loan from Bournemouth, a "p****" and a "c***".

The manager admitted last week that Arter's decision to make himself unavailable for Ireland could have been down to the row, but disputed the detail of the account provided by Ward - who was not there at the time.

Former United boss Alex Ferguson famously dispensed with his inspirational captain after a brutally frank interview with the club's own television channel, but asked if he fears he may have to do the same at some point, O'Neill was defiant.

He said: "You were talking about Roy Keane there - this was after Roy Keane had coerced that top- quality team to win seven championships or something like that, in a 10-year period.

''Roy Keane was the driving force of that team. He had great, great players, the Welsh manager [Ryan Giggs] beside him, David Beckham, an iconic figure in the game, a world-class goalkeeper [Peter Schmeichel] and top-class players who could have played anywhere in the world."

Fair enough.

We all may merit a bollicking from time to time and if this is your managerial modus operandi it may be time to update it.

But, in the case of the Republic of Ireland saga, we are all only observing from without and you would hope that there is a culture of respect, understanding and loyalty within the squad.

If so, then this incident should be seen for what it is - oh my gosh a row between two adults.

If the appropriate culture exists in the squad, it should be possible to get over it.

If not, then this may be the beginning of the end for the current managerial set up.

 



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