Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[Stuttgart88]

I thanked OF's post despite not understanding the Latin bit at the end.

I was firmly on Mick's side in Saipan but at the same time, when I think back on some of the personal rows I've had in my life where I have been wholly consumed by pride and no small level of innate aggression and self-preservation instinct, and where I have maintained an irrational stance believing it to be right at the time, I'd be a hypocrite not to see a bit of him in what I have done -albeit on a less public scale!

I'm happy to see a great Irish football figure there to inspire and motivate our players. I take him in face value when he says he's not a monster and can actually be a good influence on lesser players. In fact, I reckon Keane's outward alpha-ness betrays some insecurities. No shame in that whatsoever. I can't see why anyone would object to him being in part-charge of our team. We'd be mad not to consider him.

[geysir]

I want the contrary whiny f'ecker to succeed. I don't expect (or want) him to have changed, but a bit of maturity wont go amiss and will go a long way in this job.

Talking about Keane .... just in case a line got crossed.

[DeLorean]

I thanked OF's post despite not understanding the Latin bit at the end.

I Googled it....

'It is best to endure what you cannot change.'

[Charlie Darwin]

Journalists do not decide "the channel of thought" on football teams for the genuine supporters, most of whom are on here. Dunphy (and Giles for that matter) ranted for years against Charlton and yet he left when he decided the time was right and the supporters were loyal to him. Do you think people on here will pay any more heed to O'Donoghue's view that the view of the fans on here. The likes of Miriam Lord who did a piece in the Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irela...ined-1.1594050 about "the glamorous Roy Keane" will interest the celeb followers or event junkies, many of whom will go to the Aviva tomorrow, but will it shape the opinion of the fans, I doubt it. Take Trap also: the media was 95% against him even going in to the qualification campaign but I doubt if it changed attitutes. Fans are well capable of making up their own minds whether pro or anti..

I wouldn't worry either about the huge hype that is surrounding the appointment of an out of work Corkman as an assistant manager. I will never like Keane following on Saipan but if O'Neill brings success, he can have Dunphy as his assistant for all I care. The team the team the team. As for the rest of it, I'll bite my lip and remember the latin phrase I learned at school: "Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis."

I read that Miriam Lord piece this morning on my phone. I had to shake myself to make sure I'd woken up.

[tetsujin1979]

think Stutts asked what Irish players have played under Keane and O'Neill at club level

Manager Name   Club        Player
Martin O'Neill Celtic      Aiden McGeady 
                           Liam Miller   
                           Colin Healy
               Aston Villa Richard Dunne 
    
Roy Keane      Sunderland  Liam Miller   
                           Anthony Stokes
                           Daryl Murphy  
                           David Connolly
                           Stephen Elliott
                           Clive Clarke  
                           Graham Kavanagh
                           Liam Lawrence 
                           Kenny Cunningham
                           Paul McShane  
                           Ian Harte     
                           Roy O'Donovan 
                           Andy Reid     
                           Nicky Colgan 
                           David Meyler
                
               Ipswich     Owen Garvan   
                           Alan Quinn    
                           Colin Healy   
                           Damien Delaney
                           Jonathan Walters
                           Shane Supple  
                           Ian McLoughlin
                           Daryl Murphy  
                           Brian Murphy  
                           Shane O'Connor
                           Ronan Murray  
                           Conor Hourihane
                           Darren O'Dea  
                           Mark Kennedy

also Shane Lowry played at Villa under O'Neill before changing allegiances to Australia, and Alex Bruce played for Keane at Ipswich before changing allegiance to the North

[Charlie Darwin]

Has anybody noticed that Martin O'Neill's jokes are really, really bad? Like I know my posts aren't the best, but... has a manager ever been sacked for killing everyone's buzz?

[SkStu]

He's no Patrick Kielty.

[Charlie Darwin]

Is that a compliment or an insult?

[ArdeeBhoy]

I'm happy to see a great Irish football figure there to inspire and motivate our players. I take him in face value when he says he's not a monster and can actually be a good influence on lesser players. No shame in that whatsoever. I can't see why anyone would object to him being in part-charge of our team. We'd be mad not to consider him.

Yes. Take goodness for...Martin O'Neill!

[DannyInvincible]

Too-good Di Canio's got beef with Martin: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/inter...6837-di-canio/

Paolo Di Canio has hit back at Martin O'Neill as the war of words between the former Sunderland managers continued.

Di Canio succeeded O'Neill at the Stadium of Light in March and, on his arrival, criticised the fitness levels in the squad.

O'Neill took his time to respond but following his appointment as Republic of Ireland boss earlier this week, he dismissed Di Canio's barbs and labelled the Italian a "managerial charlatan".

Di Canio, who led Sunderland to Premier League survival last season before being sacked after five games of the current campaign, told Sky Sports News: "I don't know if he knows the meaning of this word charlatan. Probably I can teach him, even if I am not English.

"I respect the opinion of manager Martin O'Neill but the fact that he spoke after six months, not straight away, that proves what kind of level he is. He is not very big.

"A charlatan is a manager who spends £40m to be a top ten club and then sees the club sink into the relegation zone."

Di Canio stood by his claim that the Black Cats players were not in peak condition when he arrived on Wearside.

"The fitness levels were pathetic," he said.

"I had players who told me they had cramps from driving the car.

"I had three players with injuries in the calf after 20 minutes of a game. Six different players with problems means they were not fit."

Di Canio was dismissed after a 3-0 defeat at West Brom, a result which was reportedly followed a day later by a training ground bust-up with senior players which led them to ask the board to take action.

Di Canio insisted, however, that no argument took place.

"It never happened," he said.

"There was a typical meeting, as there was after every game to see the clips and analyse the game.

"Maybe there was opinion but this happens in every good family."

Even though his first foray into top-flight management ended in acrimonious fashion, it has not quelled Di Canio's confidence and he remains hopeful of finding another job in England.

"I was too good, my level was too high," he said of his experience at Sunderland.

"What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. I can't wait to have another chance with the right people. I feel a better manager than before.

"Even if I have requests from around Europe I say no.

"There is no space for me in England at the moment but I will wait.

"It would be stupid for a chairman not to call me. Even if it's at a Championship club with a project."

[GypsyBlackCat]

"I was too good, my level was too high," he said of his experience at Sunderland.

I had to laugh at that. The man is deluled. MON was spot on. But I have to admit O'Neill didn't look the same manager at SAFC that he did at Villa and Celtic. His tactics looked out dated and training methods were poor. IMO I think this was down to not having John Robertson there as number 2. Hopefully he O'Neill has learned form that and that's why he brought in Keane.

[tetsujin1979]

just so I can say I said it first
Why is the manager picking him?
What does he have to do to get into the squad?
What does he have to do to get into the starting XI?
Clearly we shouldn't be playing that formation.
If he persists with that selection, a different passing style would give better results
I think it's time to think about replacing the manager
etc and so forth

[Charlie Darwin]

He's out of his depth, Darragh.

[paul_oshea]

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/landslagsfotboll/landslaget/article17848545.ab

[geysir]

That's nothing, just wait for the bile to really flow from a panel united, when Keane calls them something worse than a comedy show.