Cracks in the relationship already?

[joeSoap]

see here (http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/football/stories.php3?ca=12&si=1539697):confused:

[NeilMcD]

Just pure **** stirring. The media report one man as coach and then when another seems like he is the coach they show it as evidecne of a divide. They have started early in the Indo. Maybe its cause the early reports of the Newcastle coach getting the job were just speculation.

[joeSoap]

Or because the Indo is a pure and utter piece of bog roll.....

[NeilMcD]

Agreed, thats why I was suprised you started the thread using them as a reference without any comment from your good self.

[John83]

see here (http://www.unison.ie/sportsdesk/football/stories.php3?ca=12&si=1539697):confused:
Would someone be so kind as to post the gist of this for those of us who don't want to register with the Indo (they really, really don't need to know how much my household earns)?

[Stuttgart88]

They have started early in the Indo. Maybe its cause the early reports of the Newcastle coach getting the job were just speculation.The FAI should not be allowing any speculation. They need to spell out the facts asap.

[NeilMcD]

I agree but its Monday before the Press Conference you wont hear a word before then, in my view. Although I dont like Cathal Dervan, he is a man on the inside on this, and he reckons it will be Monday afternoon for the press conference and all will be revealed then but not before then. That was just before revealing that Staunton would be the manager and Robson as his mentor and that Staunton requested for Robson to be hired.

[colster]

The FAI should not be allowing any speculation. They need to spell out the facts asap.

How exactly are the FAI supposed to stop it. I think they should ignore it and not feed into at all. Agreed they have to announce the new manager ASAP but they shouldn't rush it just because of speculation.

[joeSoap]

Would someone be so kind as to post the gist of this for those of us who don't want to register with the Indo (they really, really don't need to know how much my household earns)?

Staunton wins first 'battle' with Robson
Wednesday January 11th 2006

ROOKIE Ireland manager Stephen Staunton has won his first battle by insisting that he chooses his backroom team.

Reports from England yesterday suggested that mentor Bobby Robson was lining up his long-time right-hand man John Carver to join the new set-up as Staunton's top coach.

Carver is currently head coach at Leeds and the speculation was that he would take the Ireland role on a part-time basis - similar to the way Spurs first team coach Chris Hughton operated under Brian Kerr.

However, the Irish Independent can reveal that Staunton is set to name his former Liverpool team-mate Kevin McDonald as his No.2 with Alan Kelly as the goalkeeping coach.

McDonald, who holds a FIFA Pro-Licence, is currently on the coaching staff at Aston Villa and Staunton is very close to securing his release from Villa Park.

The 45-year-old Scot was part of the Liverpool side that won the League and FA Cup double in the 1985-86 season having been signed from Leicester in 1984 where he was team captain. He left Liverpool for Coventry before joining the Aston Villa coaching staff.

Sources close to the new management team last night dismissed the Carver story as "utter rubbish" but it does focus attention on how exactly the Staunton-Robson relationship is going to work out.

The FAI see Staunton as the manager with day to day responsibility for everything to do with the senior international team and Robson as his advisor but a major question remains over whether the former England manager will be able to keep off the training pitch or out of the dug-out.

His most famous pupil, Jose Mourinho, recently offered an insight into Robson and it suggests that he may find a background role difficult.

"Bobby Robson isn't interested in studying, systematising or planning the training practice. He is a pitch man; he's about training and having direct contact with the players. With Robson, I didn't get much work as a coach on the pitch," explained Mourinho.

Robson had experience of being on the sidelines when he was was replaced as manager of Barcelona by Louis van Gaal and became Director of Signings, a time he recently recalled in his autobiography.

"I was disappointed to be sidelined but not bitchy and I still felt part of the club and the decision-making process," he wrote.

It understood that the FAI have given Staunton full authority to call all the shots and that he will determine Robson's long-term role which is likely to mean the former England manager being used as a scout and analyst as well as a source of advice when needed.

It is also likely that Staunton may hand Robson the onerous task of dealing with the media on a day to day basis.

[Stuttgart88]

Colster, don't you think the whole "media relations" has been a total and utter shambles?

I don't know, but I'd guess that a professional PR agency would avise them to make a statement to clarify exactly what the situation is. The rumours and speculation are having nothing but a negative effect & this appointment has already been judged as a disaster by most people. This team will have their work cut out to get people to even have a neutral opinion.

Those, like you and I, who have been broadly supportive so far are probably only so because of a guess that Robson's role will be significant. In reality we have nothing to form an opinion on.

[NeilMcD]

IN addition they are getting guys like Dervan to do the media spin for them. Stauntons old man is talking to the papers too. Nobody should be saying anything or they should be saying everything. The drip feed coming from the FAI is a nonesense. It does look like Robson role will not be significant at all.