Scully: Fenlon should quit U-23's

Scully: Fenlon should quit U-23's


Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Scully thinks that the Republic of Ireland U-23 team should not be managed by Pat Fenlon. The newly formed team picked up their second win of the International Trophy Tournament on Tuesday after beating Northern Ireland 1-0 in Lurgan. Having edged past Slovakia in their first outing back in November, the young Irish team only need one more win to reach the final of the competition.

Bohemians manager Fenlon is in charge of the team on a part-time basis with Cork City's Alan Matthews acting as his assistant, but Scully thinks that there is a conflict of interest with their roles as they also work for eircom Premier Division clubs. "I've no problem with Pat Fenlon or Alan Matthews, but I do feel there is a potential for a conflict of interest here," Scully told the Irish Daily Mail. "Here you have two full-time managers, who have the biggest budgets of any club managers in the league and you are giving them access to the best young players in the league, many of them part-timers.

"Let's say one of those players down the read subsequently signs for either Bohs or Cork, people will put two and two together and point to the Irish U-23 set-up as to where it all started. "That may not have been the case at all as anyone can get tapped up but it could be interpreted that way. "The only way to remove the uncertainty is to put someone in charge that has no attachments to any senior club."

Taken from Setantasports.com

IMO Rico would have been a good appointment if it wasn't to be Fenlon.

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Originally Posted by A face

"Let's say one of those players down the road subsequently signs for either Bohs or Cork, people will put two and two together and point to the Irish U-23 set-up as to where it all started.

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Referring to oneself in the plural is a pretty sure sign of impending insanity, not that it's surprising in this case (except perhaps in that it was deferred for so long.)

In fairness I have heard crazier arguments.Having said that any manager worth his salt should feel he knows his own player better than a guy who meets him couple of times a year.

And Fenlon is a rubbish boss....

I reckon Scully is right. It's not just about knowing a player better than their own manager, it's about the potential for tapping up and unsettling a player.

Rico should have the job IMO.

If I were Scully id take more interest in his own clubs personal fortunes at present. If he was offered the gig he would be on the back of the lorry before you could spell "Scully didnt get on well at all clubs he was with cos his mouth was open all the time". Hit the bricks Scully, its Fenlons gig & leave him at it.

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Originally Posted by pól-dcfc

And Fenlon is a rubbish boss....

I reckon Scully is right. It's not just about knowing a player better than their own manager, it's about the potential for tapping up and unsettling a player.

Rico should have the job IMO.

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Nail on the head.

Scully is just upset that he wasnt given the job

I heard Roddy Collins talking about that game last night on radio. Thought it was a waste of time. Couldn't understand why Trappatoni would be bothered to go and see it because if the players were any good, they'd be playing in England and that Jeffreys only colours are "blue and orange".

Amazing stuff :confused:

this is bull from scully, whats to stop anyone from going along watching the game and trying to sign one of these players down the line. Say Doolin for example. Scully should worry about where rovers are going at the minute, downhill.

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Originally Posted by Ash

Scully is just upset that he wasnt given the job

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whs

I hear that Scully was phoning the Rovers guys who had been picked for the Northern Ireland game and telling them if they travelled up and played then they would be training with the reserves for the forseeable future.

Minnowish behaviour there - what manager would actively try to stop his players playing for their national team?

Scully's point might be valid if the U23's actually meant anything.

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Originally Posted by pól-dcfc

And Fenlon is a rubbish boss....

.

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But how then can Bohs be second in the league and the U23's need only one more win to reach the final of the competition.

Time for Scully to concentrate on SRFC

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Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Scully's point might be valid if the U23's actually meant anything.

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i dont see any harm in it - it is what it is. why are people knocking it :confused:

The only conflict of interest I can see is Mathews and Fenlon can choose to rest Bohs and Cork players if they feel they are tired or carrying knocks. Two of the three Rovers players were supposed to have been carrying injuries, Murphy has been clearly struggling since coming back for Rovers. That's the major conflict of interest in that situation.

Tapping up will happen regardless in a league as small as our own.

Scully was everybody's Mr Cool two seasons back when his team were in Division 1 winning most of their games and he was on the telly commenting on teams he didn't have to play against.
Last season the strain started to show when every game he lost he had a ready-made excuse (Bit o' Red fans saw plenty of it, with his "I refuse to accept we lost that game" in Sligo and his scandalous blaming of Kudozovic for his keeper's injury).
Now he's on the skids and the true colours are showing. The recent verbal attack on his players in the post-match comments in Sligo was bad form - that stuff should be confined to the dressing-room. Making it for public consumption was a classic display of covering his own posterior.

Erm has Scully not got a very valid point in that Fenlon tried to tap up Ger Rowe a few months away, resulting in Rovers losing one of their first choice players just as the season was about to begin? If it happened once...

Scully is correct, conflict of interest is obvious.

The U23 games are waste of time but is separate debate.

Scully is dead right on this one.

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Originally Posted by Larry 'da' Wyse

But how then can Bohs be second in the league and the U23's need only one more win to reach the final of the competition.

Time for Scully to concentrate on SRFC

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How did he turn a Derry team who had challenged for the title right to the final day for two seasons into make-weights?

He's a money manager.

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Originally Posted by Duggie

i dont see any harm in it - it is what it is. why are people knocking it :confused:

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Not knocking it, but don't think its worth getting too worked up about things like conflicts of interest etc. Its not like there will be enough games to get a high quality full time international manager.

Scully is just needling.

is the engish team was managed by fergie, do you think chelsea fans would have problems with fergie and john terry gettin buddy buddy. I do admit i have to agree wit scully

scully is a whinger anyway. hate listening to him.

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Originally Posted by A face

"I've no problem with Pat Fenlon or Alan Matthews, but I do feel there is a potential for a conflict of interest here," Scully told the Irish Daily Mail. "Here you have two full-time managers, who have the biggest budgets of any club managers in the league and you are giving them access to the best young players in the league, many of them part-timers.

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Scully is dead right and he has said it in a pretty straightforward way (but perhaps not strightforward enough for some).

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

Referring to oneself in the plural is a pretty sure sign of impending insanity, not that it's surprising in this case (except perhaps in that it was deferred for so long.)

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Delusion is if you think that Scully is the only one who cannot spot the potential conflict of interest here.

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Originally Posted by Salmon Coloured

If I were Scully id take more interest in his own clubs personal fortunes at present.

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Ehr ... he is making the statement cos he does has his club at heart - he is justifiably concerned that his players are going to get tapped up (again).

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Originally Posted by Ash

Scully is just upset that he wasnt given the job

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Evidence for this please?

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Originally Posted by Duggie

this is bull from scully, whats to stop anyone from going along watching the game and trying to sign one of these players down the line.

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Bull yourself. Working with the players is entirely different to just sitting in the stands for 90 mins.

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Originally Posted by Réiteoir

I hear that Scully was phoning the Rovers guys who had been picked for the Northern Ireland game and telling them if they travelled up and played then they would be training with the reserves for the forseeable future.

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Heard from where? If you supply no evidence for this then can I assume you heard this from some drunk at a bar or else from some internal voice? Lets see then if Stephen Rice is playing this weekend against Harps.

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Originally Posted by fergalr

Scully is dead right and he has said it in a pretty straightforward way (but perhaps not strightforward enough for some).


Delusion is if you think that Scully is the only one who cannot spot the potential conflict of interest here.


Ehr ... he is making the statement cos he does has his club at heart - he is justifiably concerned that his players are going to get tapped up (again).


Evidence for this please?


Bull yourself. Working with the players is entirely different to just sitting in the stands for 90 mins.


Heard from where? If you supply no evidence for this then can I assume you heard this from some drunk at a bar or else from some internal voice? Lets see then if Stephen Rice is playing this weekend against Harps.

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jeez pat hows things, whats the craic ?? :D

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Originally Posted by fergalr

Heard from where? If you supply no evidence for this then can I assume you heard this from some drunk at a bar or else from some internal voice? Lets see then if Stephen Rice is playing this weekend against Harps.

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That's all over the Rovers Ultra's message board. I'd be very surprised if they were dropped, having said that Scully has been known to pull some fairly crazy stunts when it comes to player discipline. Rice is the least likely to be dropped as he was 100% fit, rumor (again Rovers Ultra's board) has it the other two were advised to pull out by Rovers team doctor, but passed fit by FAI doctor, much to the annoyance of Scully.

I agree there is the potential for a conflict of interest but who the hell does Scummy think he is going to the media with his grievance and practically demanding that Fenlon and Matthews lose their jobs. what gives Scummy the right to do this

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Originally Posted by Block G Raptor

I agree there is the potential for a conflict of interest but who the hell does Scummy think he is going to the media with his grievance and practically demanding that Fenlon and Matthews lose their jobs. what gives Scummy the right to do this

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The same right that allows you to refer to him as 'Scummy' ( could you not do better than that ..very poor effrort that IMO) it's called freedom of speech.

Say what you like about Scully but at least he came out straight and in clear language made gave his views.

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Originally Posted by passinginterest

That's all over the Rovers Ultra's message board. I'd be very surprised if they were dropped, having said that Scully has been known to pull some fairly crazy stunts when it comes to player discipline. Rice is the least likely to be dropped as he was 100% fit, rumor (again Rovers Ultra's board) has it the other two were advised to pull out by Rovers team doctor, but passed fit by FAI doctor, much to the annoyance of Scully.

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There is a discussion about the fact that the Rovers's doctor advice about fitness was overruled by the U23s doctor. This is entirely different to what was alleged on here.

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Originally Posted by OwlsFan

I heard Roddy Collins talking about that game last night on radio. Thought it was a waste of time. Couldn't understand why Trappatoni would be bothered to go and see it because if the players were any good, they'd be playing in England and that Jeffreys only colours are "blue and orange".

Amazing stuff :confused:

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Ahh, dear old Roddy...

If only the good people of Livinsgton had had the good sense to take him off our hands....

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Originally Posted by fergalr

Heard from where? If you supply no evidence for this then can I assume you heard this from some drunk at a bar or else from some internal voice? Lets see then if Stephen Rice is playing this weekend against Harps.

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You want evidence but you're willing to make assumptions - strange that.

What evidence do you want? Do you want somebody to post screenshots of the text messages the players got from Scully or do you want them to swear affidavits saying its not a rumour?

I've spoken to somebody who was in the squad and they confirmed to me that Scully text the three Rovers players and ordered them to turn up for the A game on Wednesday. That's good enough for me.

Scully is right here, open and shut case. The is a conflict of interest and to suggest there isn't is madness. You are giving two managers free access to the best U23 players in the country with no permisssion needed.

Who appointed Fenlon? That is who is to blame? When was this actually announced initially? Well before the first game i'd imagine anyway.

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Originally Posted by fergalr

Heard from where? If you supply no evidence for this then can I assume you heard this from some drunk at a bar or else from some internal voice? Lets see then if Stephen Rice is playing this weekend against Harps.

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You go and have a word with Barry Murphy and Ger O'Brien's cousin then fella - because this is apparently where the info is coming from

In fairness Scully is probably one of the best managers in the League, with limited budgets at both Kilkenny and now at Shamrock Rovers has done wonders. He has recognised that there is a conflict of interest here been honest but at the end of the day it is the FAI and nothing suprises me with their organisational skills. Why not give it too Rico or someoe with the credentials and isn't currently involved with any senior club in the Eircom League.

I didn't hear Steve Bruce or Sam Allardyce whinging when Stuart Pearce and Peter Taylor were managing the England U-21s whilst managing club sides...

Bluster for bluster's sake in Scully's case - looks like he can't face not being the centre of attention 24/7

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Originally Posted by Réiteoir

Bluster for bluster's sake in Scully's case - looks like he can't face not being the centre of attention 24/7

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You cant dismiss the point he has to make like that Réiteoir, if anything fair play to the guy for highlighting it. There is definitely a conflict of interest and that should be reason enough not to appoint the guy.

A Face - I presume you are aware that in many countries (including bigger footballing nations than Ireland) the national team coach combines his job with a club position? A position in which there's an obvious conflict of interest because players may feel that moving to the manager's club enhances their international prospects.

The eircom League is a tiny world, if Fenlon or Matthews want to tap anyone up they can just go ahead and do it. Absolute balls from Scully, and embarrassing to see anyone defend it.

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

A Face - I presume you are aware that in many countries (including bigger footballing nations than Ireland) the national team coach combines his job with a club position? A position in which there's an obvious conflict of interest because players may feel that moving to the manager's club enhances their international prospects.

The eircom League is a tiny world, if Fenlon or Matthews want to tap anyone up they can just go ahead and do it. Absolute balls from Scully, and embarrassing to see anyone defend it.

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Yeah, i take all that on board, and you're not wrong ..... BUT i'd still liked to see Rico or someone else get the job. No reason why they couldn't have give it to him either. Just because it happens elsewhere doesn't mean there isn't a conflict of interest there too. It would have just been easier to avoid this situation all together.

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Originally Posted by Réiteoir

I hear that Scully was phoning the Rovers guys who had been picked for the Northern Ireland game and telling them if they travelled up and played then they would be training with the reserves for the forseeable future.

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Originally Posted by charliesboots

I've spoken to somebody who was in the squad and they confirmed to me that Scully text the three Rovers players and ordered them to turn up for the A game on Wednesday. That's good enough for me.

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Which is it then? Your both can't be right but you both may be wrong.

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

A Face - I presume you are aware that in many countries (including bigger footballing nations than Ireland) the national team coach combines his job with a club position? A position in which there's an obvious conflict of interest because players may feel that moving to the manager's club enhances their international prospects.

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So something that is wrong is ok for us as long as its done elsewhere!?

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

The eircom League is a tiny world, if Fenlon or Matthews want to tap anyone up they can just go ahead and do it.

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Of course they can (and do).

The principle still holds - its a clear conflict of interest.

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Originally Posted by Sheridan

embarrassing

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Again its interesting to contrast the quote with the avatar.