Explosive comments from Stephen Kelly [Archive]

backstothewall

08/02/2013, 8:51 AM

Ireland international Stephen Kelly is 'shocked & disgusted' at Giovanni Trapattoni's comments about his committment

Stephen Kelly has stated that he is �shocked and disgusted� at Giovanni Trapattoni�s comments in relation to his commitment to the Republic of Ireland international team.

The Ireland manager insinuated yesterday that Kelly did not want to travel for international duty unless he was going to play.

Trapattoni said: �You know what happened in the situation with Kelly? �I play or I go home�."

And the Reading defender, who has been capped 32 times for Ireland, has lashed out at Trapattoni, issuing a strongly worded statement confirming his total commitment to the national team.

Kelly�s statement read: �It is extremely disappointing for me to have to make this statement. I am simply shocked and disgusted with the untrue and unwarranted comments made by Giovanni Trapattoni.

�These hurtful and untrue comments have caused distress and upset to myself and my family who have supported me throughout my career and know the level of commitment and passion I have always shown in representing my country.

�I have proudly represented Ireland from the age of sixteen, and I have never shown anything other than 100% commitment to my country and my team.

�I cannot and will not tolerate attempts to defame my commitment and loyalty to Ireland.

�Representing Ireland at senior international level has given me some of my proudest moments in my professional career, and for me captaining my country will always be my greatest achievement.

�It saddens me greatly that I should have to defend my good character and reputation in a profession I love, however, I refuse to allow anyone to question my passion for representing Ireland.

�I will continue as always to proudly be available for my country.�

jbyrne

08/02/2013, 8:54 AM

Have to say that Kelly has always come across as a very likable, articulate and committed player. Was surprised to hear traps comments yesterday. Hope this gets sorted as although he wouldnt be first choice he is a very decent replacement

shakermaker1982

08/02/2013, 8:55 AM

Could this bring the Trap down?

ifk101

08/02/2013, 8:56 AM

So he wasn't "rested" for Wednesday game. :rolleyes:

Spudulika

08/02/2013, 8:57 AM

ifk101

08/02/2013, 9:02 AM

Yeah the meeja.

Trap needs to go. He needed to go after the Euros.

backstothewall

08/02/2013, 9:05 AM

Of the various fallouts there have been, this is the worst for Trap I suspect. Fringe player, but a blistering attack. Not so much burning his bridges with Trap, as calling in an air strike.

Spudulika

08/02/2013, 9:06 AM

Yeah the meeja.

Trap needs to go. He needed to go after the Euros.

Why? Is he losing matches? Is he not watching matches live in person? Is he not giving young players a chance? Is he not giving more players a chance to play for Ireland? Is he shopping himself around Europe (like Capello did) for a new job?

The Euros are history, we're now in a qualification battle and doing well for our place. The talking heads and meeja need to justify their place and salaries, so they will continue to run against logic or good sense because they are right, in their own minds.

ArdeeBhoy

08/02/2013, 9:14 AM

Do you really believe that?

That he is giving young players a chance?

And with his current tactics, we'll be 'doing well', in six weeks time?

Because not sure I share that optimism...

p2011

08/02/2013, 9:16 AM

He is losing matches actually, Spud! He started going to matches too late, and his manner of introducing new players is haphazard. And he has been listening to other offers. And the Euros are not history if he refuses to learn and keeps putting out 4-4-2 against good sides.

Trap has been unprofessional and sloppy for a while now. Look at all the falling outs. He is supposed to protect players and not hang them out to dry. I know English isn't his first language, but he doesn't sound like his thoughts would be coherent in any language.

Don't hang this on the media and their agenda, it's about getting the best out of this bunch of players and not alienating them. And anyway, dealing with the media is his job anyway.

ifk101

08/02/2013, 9:18 AM

Why?

Have you seen us play?

Is he losing matches?

Seriously. 6-1 defeat at home to Germany!!!!

Is he not watching matches live in person?

Hello! Since when?

Is he not giving young players a chance?

Since when and why? Think players retiring, injuries and the Euros backlash.

Is he not giving more players a chance to play for Ireland?

Is that in the job brief?

Is he shopping himself around Europe (like Capello did) for a new job?

Think. He's 74 in a month's time. How employable do you actual think he is?

Euros are history, we're now in a qualification battle and doing well for our place. The talking heads and meeja need to justify their place and salaries, so they will continue to run against logic or good sense because they are right, in their own minds.

Hot air.

Spudulika

08/02/2013, 9:19 AM

Do you really believe that?

That he is giving young players a chance?

And with his current tactics, we'll be 'doing well', in six weeks time?

Because not sure I share that optimism...

It depends on your definition of young players, mine is that he has a fair share of youngsters capable of stepping up being blooded into the side. Tactics are for those who want to sound important, good players will play and win or compete.

I am not an oracle, nor are you, nor anyone else, though we are being told by the meeja that we're doomed, the same as under every other manager since Eoin Hand was ruthlessly destroyed by some of the same people leading the charge now. Sadly the public is being led by attention seeking money grubbers that can't stand to be proved wrong - last weekend's George Hook fest is a prime example.

TrapAPony

08/02/2013, 9:24 AM

Could this bring the Trap down?
Fingers crossed

BonnieShels

08/02/2013, 9:27 AM

But will you change your name?

ArdeeBhoy

08/02/2013, 9:29 AM

We're not 'doomed' Spud, nor am I the oracle.

But I reckon I could do almost as good a job as Trap, as could, far more importantly, people who're much better qualified to do so...

ArdeeBhoy

08/02/2013, 9:30 AM

But will you change your name?
Yes, to 'PonyandTrap'...

TrapAPony

08/02/2013, 9:33 AM

But will you change your name?
My username isn't pro-Trapattoni

geysir

08/02/2013, 9:33 AM

I'm not convinced by Kelly in this situation.
He was asked in as a late replacement, there are some issues lingering from the last get together.

One answer he did not give when asked to join up with the squad was, 'sure, I'll be there asap'.

Bungle

08/02/2013, 9:36 AM

The meeja will hope it will! They tried their best to make a case for sacking before Poland, even some writers grittingly accepted we won, so now they're going to go to town on this. Have to love how our meeja are England tabloid light. Not even the IT can rise above the filth.

Come on mate. Like I've said on other posts, Trap has done some very good things for the team, most of them within the first two/three years of his reign, when he turned a joke of a team into a team that deserved to qualify for the World Cup and then did qualify for the Euros.

However, even his most ardent supporters must accept that his communication skills are a joke and he has alienated some very good decent guys like Kelly. Guys like Gibson and Ireland are one thing but a quiet good pro like Kelly is quite another. His management of Wilson and McCarthy could have lost them to the North or to Scotland, were they not totally committed to playing for us. He makes Don Givens seem like a world class diplomat does our Trap.

p2011

08/02/2013, 9:39 AM

Kelly has been turning up for years and filling in for injuries without ever making the first-choice 11. Trap shouldn't be hanging him out to dry to cover his own hide.

Trap was what we needed in the first 2-3 years of his reign, but we've been going backwards fast for about two years now.

@Mods: Maybe all 2/3 threads on Kelly should be merged???

NeverFeltBetter

08/02/2013, 9:41 AM

Is just another bungled man-management job from Trapattoni. It's happened before, and as long as he's in charge, it'll happen again.

paul_oshea

08/02/2013, 9:46 AM

Its funny how those of us a few years ago also knew there was something about trap and the "blue" truth. Everyone seeing it now.

I think there must be breach of contract there somewhere, he is lying in his job.

Having said that I wouldn't like to see him gone for sweden and austria, in the hope we get something from him, but let him go afterwards. Kelly has always shown to be the utmost professional and a level of commitment to the Irish shirt like no one else.

SwanVsDalton

08/02/2013, 9:50 AM

Another fine mess Giolly etc.

I'd very much be of the mind players should come when they're asked, pretty much no questions asked.

He should've kept it quiet though and simply left Kelly out of squads if he felt the need to. Doubly so since the player is denying it and the manager has a history of misunderstandings.

Kelly has all the appearances of a good pro and has been a regular for years. His rebuttal and status is more destabilising than a dozen Harte's or Gibson's imo.

He'll stay or go on results, but I imagine Delaney will use it as a stick if they decide to usher him out the door next month.

geysir

08/02/2013, 9:52 AM

No doubt Trap has form
but doesn't mean he is 100% responsible for every player going off in a huff.
Maybe SK finally got tired of being in the shadows and became frustrated.
But Trap is responsible for repairing rifts and misunderstanding where possible, and in this he has not been convincing, especially with the Andy Reid affair.

DeLorean

08/02/2013, 9:58 AM

My username isn't pro-Trapattoni

At what point did you decide this? :)

brine3

08/02/2013, 10:00 AM

The Euros are history, we're now in a qualification battle and doing well for our place..

Jesus, he presided over the worst home loss in the history of Irish football.

We all know he'd have been sacked already but the FAI can't afford to pay off his contract. He's a lame duck manager.

jbyrne

08/02/2013, 10:12 AM

Jesus, he presided over the worst home loss in the history of Irish football.

heaviest maybe but i can think of a number of home defeats (and draws) that results wise were worse

p2011

08/02/2013, 10:19 AM

Does that make it any better?

Losing to Germany is OK, but the manner of our defeats and performances in the last 15 months is the problem. And the failure to prepare for the future or the failure to change tactics when the evidence demands change.

Bungle

08/02/2013, 10:32 AM

The most baffling thing is how he suddenly starts chamioning a relatively ordinary player like a Paul Green or a Conor Sammon and is indifferent to good players like Hoolihan, Walters or Coleman.

Anyhow, Trap has to stay for the double header. If he was to go, it was after the Faroes game. I actually think we will get two draws - battling draw in Stockholm followed by a drab game against Austria where we are outplayed for large parts by the visitors.

BonnieShels

08/02/2013, 10:47 AM

My username isn't pro-Trapattoni

Oh I know. In fact you have one of my favourite usernames on here. It cracked me up when I saw it first. That and TiocfaidhArmani.

Kelly has been turning up for years and filling in for injuries without ever making the first-choice 11. Trap shouldn't be hanging him out to dry to cover his own hide.

Trap was what we needed in the first 2-3 years of his reign, but we've been going backwards fast for about two years now.

@Mods: Maybe all 2/3 threads on Kelly should be merged???

This thread should be kept seperate from the real Stephen Kelly thread as it's no longer just about Kelly.

The Stephen Kelly thread started this morning should be deleted though.

Sullivinho

08/02/2013, 10:53 AM

Never a dull moment.

I do worry about who ('if' isn't in question) Trap will fall out with and alienate next. There was something mildly irritating about the exuberance with which he made his Kelly bad!/Green good! speech, thrilling his no doubt captivated audience with the 'passionate Italian' schtick. He'll probably clarify next week that it was someone else he was talking about and Stephen's actually like a son to him.

TrapAPony

08/02/2013, 10:53 AM

At what point did you decide this? :)

At the very beginning:D

danthesaint

08/02/2013, 10:59 AM

http://www.thescore.ie/stephen-kelly-persuaded-to-board-faroes-flight-after-management-bust-up-reports-635798-Oct2012/

Some commitment there Stephen :p

Murfinator

08/02/2013, 11:01 AM

Trap's spiteful comments would be appropriate for so many other players in the current Irish squad, its sad how many lack commitment. But not Kelly, Kelly is one of the few dedicated players we have left, it's a bizarre decision from Trap to attack him. Presume he's confusing him with someone else but that in itself is unforgivable.

Macy

08/02/2013, 11:02 AM

Pity Trap never tested the senior players committment, and blooded new players at the expense of some of the senior players over the last few years. Surely if they were committed, they wouldn't have insisted on playing meaningless friendlies to bring up their cap count.

Having said that, his comments about Woolahan were the ones that made less sense.

Crosby87

08/02/2013, 11:32 AM

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRl0_nKb3aYKomsSOG23TrpgNYWQaKw9 BWDGvq6UKhisrBkhxMU

I give you three reason why da Kelly he no like da travel.
Uno, he no a like da pillow. Too mushy the hotel.
Due, he no like da food. He sa da room service....it taste lika old fish. old woman.
Tre, he no finda he favorite hair gel. He need a lots. He no can find in Khazakstan. Only da China products. Crapo.

dr_peepee

08/02/2013, 11:47 AM

I'm open to correction on the sequence, context and timing.

But I remember Brian Kerr on OTB being interviewed. I think it might have been in the context of the Kevin Foley debacle, and he compared him a bit to Stephen Kelly given the level of involvement as opposed to actual game time, or something to that effect. What i do definitively remember was he could not say enough good things about Stephen Kelly. Praised him to the hilt. And i think Kelly's incident with Trap came very shortly after.

I'm concerned about the sequence bacause i don't want it perceived to be Brian Kerr using any oppertunity to stick the knife into Trap, but i'm almost certain Kerrs praise of Kelly came before the hints of any fall out between Kelly and Trapp.

Kelly's been turning up too often for too long to suddenly become the type to throw to dodi out of the pram. Trapp has history with this carry on!! I know where i stand on this.

geysir

08/02/2013, 12:35 PM

Kelly has form, he threw a hissy fit refusing to get on the plane to the Faroes.
What was that all about? after some argument with Tardelli in training? Would Kelly have thrown that hissy fit if he was to travel with his club to a game, given the same circumstances that happened in training? I seriously doubt it.
Sounds like he was still sensitive about it and sensitive about not being in the original squad for this game.

But whatever went down before the Faroes trip, should have been cleared up before calling him up again. It's not a safe assumption to assume that an aggrieved player is mature enough to clear it up on his own.

backstothewall

08/02/2013, 1:02 PM

My username isn't pro-Trapattoni

Nothing wrong with having a username relating to a former manager.

Kelly's been turning up too often for too long to suddenly become the type to throw to dodi out of the pram. Trapp has history with this carry on!! I know where i stand on this.

I think that sentance sums this one up nicely.

drummerboy

08/02/2013, 1:08 PM

I have to say the Irish team has turned into a circus over the last couple of years. Its embarrassing. Kelly is not the type of character to rock the boat unless there is something seriously wrong. IMO Trap needs to go. He seems to have lost the respect of the senior members of the squad.

DannyInvincible

08/02/2013, 1:22 PM

Come on mate. Like I've said on other posts, Trap has done some very good things for the team, most of them within the first two/three years of his reign, when he turned a joke of a team into a team that deserved to qualify for the World Cup and then did qualify for the Euros.

However, even his most ardent supporters must accept that his communication skills are a joke and he has alienated some very good decent guys like Kelly. Guys like Gibson and Ireland are one thing but a quiet good pro like Kelly is quite another. His management of Wilson and McCarthy could have lost them to the North or to Scotland, were they not totally committed to playing for us. He makes Don Givens seem like a world class diplomat does our Trap.

Gibson took a petulant huff because Trap gave Green a run ahead of him at the Euros; that's Trap's decision to make, whether we or the players disagree with that or not. He's the manager. Gibson's reaction was immature in the extreme and he's lucky Trap still has time for him, as indicated by Trap's continued communication with Gibson.

Trap didn't alienate Ireland. Ireland retired from international football during Staunton's reign. Trap and Brady actually attempted to convince him to make himself available again.

The Wilson thing seemed to be a case of mistaken identity, which is shoddy and careless, granted, but things were patched up and Wilson since re-asserted his full commitment. For what it's worth, Wilson never entertained the notion of declaring for the IFA. No need scaremonger.

How did Trap alienate McCarthy exactly? McCarthy never once indicated he was considering a switch to Scotland. He missed a couple of games due to a niggling injury concern; nothing Trap could have done about that. He brought him in against Macedonia when he felt he was ready. What's the problem?

There's more to come on the Kelly story. It was initially reported that Kelly was rested, but was Kelly then asked to join the squad at a later date? If so, what reason was given for not joining up with the team?

SkStu

08/02/2013, 1:28 PM

to throw the dodi out of the pram..

I think he was thrown out of a car actually.

Is anyone really that surprised by Trap anymore? He's a complete joke.

Spudulika

08/02/2013, 1:38 PM

But I reckon I could do almost as good a job as Trap - ArdeeBhoy - you sound like any one of a hundred meeja hacks who are acting "in the public interest". Remember the crowing of the meeja when they knew 100% he was gone, then suddenly when he turned up at matches it was because of THEIR pressure. Winning a league with Manchester United on FM 2011 doesn't make you fit to manage internationally, despite what it may feel like.

This is the latest in a long line of crap from the Irish meeja that anyone older than 10 and with half a brain cell has experienced many times before. Apparently Irish rugby was the best in the world and Triple Crowns were not enough, the meeja ruined one manager and now are trying their best to get rid of another. Charlton was hammered for not picking the media darlings and ruling with a fist of iron. McCarthy was dead after Saipan as sponsors and media needed "Keano" in the fold. Brian Kerr realised that his bessie mates would turn on him in a second once he no longer became useful to sell airtime and newspapers.

The irish meeja have turned into a horrible version of the english tabloids and what would go on locally (build someone up to knock them down) now happens nationally and our football media and supporters become a joke. Unless results on the pitch warrant otherwise, I don't see how this drummed up nonsense of "communication" being thrown in the mix time and again should have anything to do with the situation. Kelly is no choirboy, nor saint, yet today we're being told he is the 22nd coming of christ on a bike with Messi's skills!

SkStu

08/02/2013, 1:44 PM

Jesus Spud, if you want to rant about meeja agendas then you'd want to lay off the tabloid sensationalism.

Did Kelly release that statement with a journalists pen to his head? Also "yet today we're being told he is the 22nd coming of christ on a bike with Messi's skills!" - no one has said anything of the sort.

Either way, there is a litany of issues that any fan over the age of 10 and with half a brain cell would take great exception to. He's a bluffer and a spoofer.