Press Conference from RTE

[Stuttgart88]

I don't know about you but I'd be reluctant to eat the first pudding ever made by someone with zero pudding-making experience....
Not sure you've any choice now though Jerry. I'll get you a napkin. I know you're a big Kerr fan but I think the last pudding didn't taste too good at the end. Time for a new baker & this is the one we've hired. I promise I'll discontinue this metaphor now :)

[OwlsFan]

I don't know about you but I'd be reluctant to eat the first pudding ever made by someone with zero pudding-making experience....

What if I've watched various people make a pudding 102 times - would you still not eat it ?

[beautifulrock]

and he has either watched or helped with the pudding for the last twenty years.

[eirebhoy]

Ok I will hold up my hands and say that I am an optimist by nature so I dont buy all stuff from the doom and gloom merchants.

However I will admit that when the news first broke about Staunton and Robson as the managerial team I was underwhelmed and a little dissappointed. Maybe I thought that O Neill was a realistic choice but that always had to be dealt with tactfully. It seems clear that Delaney wanted an Irish man in charge which I dont have a problem with to be honest and its something that Robson said was important at the press conference today. It also seems that Delaney as gone down the road that the Welsh, Dutch, German Bulgarian FA have gone down in recent times.

It also seems from reading various articles that Staunton is widely respected in the game for his leadership, organisational motivational skills and for this footballing intelligence. This is backed up by a mixed bag of people, some who I respect and some who I don't. Read John Giles, Andy Gray, Niall Quinn, Liam Brady, Tony Cascarino, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend, John Aldridge, Ron Atkinson. There is no doubt he has the experience at playing at major tournaments just like Van Basten and Klinsman have and at top teams. Liverpool would have had a good chance of winning the European cup in 88, 89 if they were not banned from Europe. Staunton has played in 3 different positions at 3 different world cups which does show that he is versatile and adaptable but it also gives him an appreciation for various positions and a good tactical knowledge around the pitch.


Therefore taking all of the above into account I think he deserves the backing of the fans. Backing staunton and the team does neccessarily mean you are backing Delaney or the FAI. It is possible to seperate the two. I have disdain for the way the FAI have gone about things over the last 20 years and possible before that but I was too young to realise. They have done a few good things but not that much. However that does not stop me for supporting the team home and away and getting behind the players and manager.

It seems pretty clear now that Staunton is the man in charge and that Robson is his assistant in everything but name. If this is the case well then I suppose Robson is a higher calibre assistant than Hughton in relation to experience and tactical nous, and also we have to remember that Kerr and Hughton did not know each other either before they worked together for Ireland but no big hoo haa was created over that appointment. The reason for that is timing. I think if Staunton was announced as the the manager last week and today was the first we heard that he was going to have Robson as his assistant I think the reaction would have been different. But the drip feed through the media has damaged both the FAI and Staunton. However I think Staunton is a stubborn and surly character and is his own man so I dont think he will have a problem with what the media says.

I am hoping that Robson can give Staunton the kind of top level experience that both Kerr and Mc Carthy were lacking when they took the job first. I am also hoping that Staunton can bring back the passion that seemed to be lacking from the closing few months of the Kerr reign. ( I was a supporter of Kerr also)

All in all I am looking forward to the draw and the possible away trips and the big matches in Croke Park and hopefully some great competitive debuts for Doyle, Ireland, O Brien, Kelly in the next year or so.
Agree completely with this post.

Before yesterday's press conference I was completely against this appointment if Robson was only there to offer advice. Yesterday confirmed that Robson will be Stan's assistant though, or at least that's what Robson thinks. Robson said in the one-to-one interview with Setanta that he'll do anything Stan asks. He's been working on a training ground the last 35 years and has no problem doing that.

I don't think Stan had it in mind to get Robson employed as his assistant because he said in the press conference that Robson won't be involved in the lead up to games. I found that a bit odd. Robson used the word "assist" quite a few times and I'm certain he is thinking of himself as Stan's assistant. They need to sort out their roles though asap.

I believe Staunton will have the team motivated more than ever before. From what I read you'd go out and die for your country after Stan gave half time or pre match team talk. If something most people agree on about Kerr its that he didn't seem to really motivate the players. They never went out in the 2nd half and looked twice the team. If Stan can't motivate the players, nobody can.

The appointment of Kevin MacDonald seems a decent one too. I read/heard some punter/journalist saying he was suprised MacDonald hasn't been snapped up to manage an English club. His Aston Villa reserve team are 3rd in the league with the best defensive record. Bobby likes his teams to play fancy attacking football, MacDonald seems to make defense his priority, add that with Stan's motivational skills and whatever else he has in his locker it could be an excellent combination.

[Stuttgart88]

Finland have just hired Roy Hodgson. For the firmly anti- Staunton / Robson camp: a better or worse choice than ours?

[OwlsFan]

A waffler par excellance with lots of experience but little recent success. Reminds me of David Pleat.

[ken foree]

I believe Staunton will have the team motivated more than ever before. From what I read you'd go out and die for your country after Stan gave half time or pre match team talk.

just curious eirebhoy, where did you read about this?

[eirebhoy]

just curious eirebhoy, where did you read about this?
Well, the words "die for your country" weren't used. :) I honestly can't remember where I read it, I've read so many articles the last week. Something I read in a paper yesterday was that 80% of people that replied to a poll were against the Stan appointment. No doubt they got the result from this thread:
http://foot.ie/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=483

That was in the Star so it just shows you what I'm reading. :)

[ken foree]

thanks, i hope whoever wrote it has got it right anyway.

[nedder]

Not sure you've any choice now though Jerry. I'll get you a napkin. I know you're a big Kerr fan but I think the last pudding didn't taste too good at the end. Time for a new baker & this is the one we've hired. I promise I'll discontinue this metaphor now :)


Thats because the last baker was used to making Rice Krispie buns. Turned out he couldn't turn his talents for that into Pudding making.
Now we've got an expert on puddings who never actually had to make one all by himself ( luckily then that he has one of the most experienced pudding makers in the world with him) . I bet the pudding tastes as sweet as it can with the ingredients he's given.

Now, end of metaphors!!

[jockser]

i like cake....

[geysir]

I have just had a look at the press conf.
It's first time I have heard Stan talk for longer than 10 words. The lad absolutely knows no fear. He believes he has a good deal more to offer the team apart from motivation.
Its clear that himself and Bobby did not spend much time beforehand defining responsibilities. They both look mature enough to establish acceptable boundaries but it will be Stan who defines Bobby's role. Judging by my wife's favorable response, Stan is already a hit with the housewives.

[Peadar]

I just know John Delaney will be left with egg on his face and it wont be from licking the mixing bowl.



Judging by my wife's favorable response, Stan is already a hit with the housewives.

That doesn't say much for you.

[geysir]

That doesn't say much for you.
I wouldn't be too sure about that Peadar, it could be your judgement has been tainted by repeated readings of the Stephen Carr autobiography 'my life as a grouch'.

[Greenbod]

I don't know about you but I'd be reluctant to eat the first pudding ever made by someone with zero pudding-making experience....

Chicken!;)

You could miss out on the chance to be the first to eat the best pudding ever made.

[klein4]

Chicken!;)

You could miss out on the chance to be the first to eat the best pudding ever made.
please god your right....

[Marked Man]

mmmmmm.... pudding....

[Peadar]

I wouldn't be too sure about that Peadar

I've done a quick survey of the girls in the office and not one them finds Staunton particularly attractive.


When Pat Dolan was appointed manager of Cork City FC, I voiced my disapproval and then went about supporting my club as normal. Before long he had come undone and the right man was given the job.

I'm going to employ the same strategy with Staunton but will take no pleasure from his failings.

[Dublin12]

I've done a quick survey of the girls in the office and not one them finds Staunton particularly attractive.




They must be batting for the opposition then:D ,he's loaded,name me one women that doesn't find that attractive,even a ginger can have his day you know:)

[Peadar]

he's loaded,name me one women that doesn't find that attractive

They went purely on looks because most of them know nothing about him.
From what they've seen and heard on TV lately, they wouldn't give him a second look.

[klein4]

They must be batting for the opposition then:D ,he's loaded,name me one women that doesn't find that attractive,even a ginger can have his day you know:)
you soooo know women!;)

[Den Perry]

I don't know about that lads.....remember my experience during Italia 90.
and i am one good looking f**ker

[geysir]

I've done a quick survey of the girls in the office and not one them finds Staunton particularly attractive.
Your survey of the girls in your office looks impressive but obviously they are not housewives. :)
I wrote way back early in November when Staunton's name was first mentioned that of all the ex players he was the most impressive candidate and it might work if he had somebody more experienced by his side and that a Staunton's team would strike fear in the opposition instead of predictability and lack of ambition.
What concerns me is how the players respond to him, the resulting effect on our performance and on the opposing team. There is every reason to believe that Staunton has those attributes, that he has well rounded management team behind him, that the ex players and current players respect and are inspired by him.