Article: A Farce to be reckoned with

**Den Perry** · 13/01/2006, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by The Legend

sorry.. just negative on Staunton, i have never liked him, this is my worst nightmare

While I love Ireland, I hope he is a fu*** disaster, and that we somehow manage to qualify after he is sacked after two games. Otherwise, if this proves, by some fluke to be a success the amount of Backslapping (as opposed to backstabbing for a change) between JD and his mates willbe unbearable, and these incompetents will be left in their position of power.

I definitely reckon Staunton was not first choice until very, very recently and got this job by default We need a disaster for the FAI to have any hope of changing

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**Greenbod** · 13/01/2006, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

and anyone that says "drop saipan, its not relevant", is in my view taking a blinkered view. Of course its relevant. I'm sure there were players there who lost respect for Staunton after the way he shafted Keane. In fact the only present player i've heard of commentin is Clinto Morrisson? Did any of the others comment?

It probably is relevant, your analysis of it however, is utterly backward. If anything Staunton would have gained respect with the players after Saipan, as evidenced by the manner in which they played under his captaincy.

**Den Perry** · 13/01/2006, 12:38 PM

I take exception to you calling be backward

**Donal81** · 13/01/2006, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

and anyone that says "drop saipan, its not relevant", is in my view taking a blinkered view. Of course its relevant. I'm sure there were players there who lost respect for Staunton after the way he shafted Keane. In fact the only present player i've heard of commentin is Clinto Morrisson? Did any of the others comment?

I'm not taking a blinkered view. I would say, actually, that you're the one taking a blinkered view in that Staunton "shafted Keane." I say we should move on from Saipan in general and not just in relation to Staunton. One could just as easily say that Staunton was standing by the manager and standing by the team, instead of standing by an individual (Keane). The whole thing was a mess on both sides and I've never come down on either side. As Keane said himself, there were no heroes out there. There's no point to this - this story is nearly four years old. McCarthy is gone and Keane is gone. Let's get over it.

By all accounts, Staunton did a wonderful job as captain. We could have done a lot out there if things hadn't gone tits up with Keane and McCarthy. As it happened, we did better than we should have, largely as a result of what was an average team playing above itself. Staunton's motivation as captain must have had something to do with this.

If you hope that Staunton is a disaster then please don't turn up to Lansdowne as most of us here will to get behind the team.

If anything was going to whip the FAI into shape, it was Saipan and Genesis. It didn't. The only thing that will change the FAI is if it's stood down entirely and a new organisation is built up from the bottom. Until that happens, it will continue to be run by goons more concerned with their own positions, their own egos and their own pockets than Irish football. That isn't Staunton's fault.

I don't think Staunton is the greatest manager in the world. Heck, he's not even the second-best manager in Walsall. But who do we think we are? We failed to beat Israel, Switzerland or France at home. We've blown the last two campaigns. We're not exactly brimming with young talent. We're not exactly a country of unfulfilled potential. If you're Hiddink, why would you bother? Staunton, on the other hand, has an obvious interest in the job. Jesus, just give him a chance instead of writing the whole thing off before we've even kicked a ball.