Roy O'Donovan thoughts on Steve Staunton

**pete** · 10/02/2006, 1:08 PM

Roy O'Donovan (irish U21 international) on Steve Staunton...interview with Evening Echo (Cork)

On working with Staunton at Coventry

"I know Steve from being at Coventry and i know he is a good guy and i hope he does well for Ireland. I think he (and Bobby Robson) will do a good job there."

Commenting on Stauntons favour for the granny rule:

"It does upset me to be honest. I read the papers about all the people who they were looking at with teams like Swansea, Rotherham, S****horpe.

They looked at Dominic Foley because he is playing with Gent in Belgium. He was playing in the eircom league three months ago. No one seemed to mention the good players in our league. That really annoys me, to see our league is frowned upon despite the good things we have done.

Hopefully Stauton will look at every available option. He is looking at guys like Dave Kitson and Gary McSheffrey. Guys who are saying if they get called up then they would look into it. If you want to play for your country, when you are called up you say yes.

Any player that improves Ireland as a team is great, but what i don't agree with is people saying that they have options to play with this team and that team and it's whoever comes knocking first. I just find that a bit false, you know.

But hopefully Staunton will look at the league, pick out a few good players and get them involved with the squad. I mean we are Irish too. It's not as if we are bad players. We are playing Champions League this year so fingers crossed."

20 years old & wise beyond his years.

**Jerry The Saint** · 10/02/2006, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Roy O'Donovan (irish U21 international) on Steve Staunton...interview with Evening Echo (Cork)

On working with Staunton at Coventry

Commenting on Stauntons favour for the granny rule:

20 years old & wise beyond his years.

Sounds like he posts on here.

I think he's jumping to conclusions by assuming that Staunton won't look at anyone here just because he's looked at players at less-fashionable clubs in England. And I don't know why he thinks Dominic Foley is being looked at because the only place I've seen that even hinted at is on this board.

We need to see Staunton's attitude once the season here actually starts before passing judgement but I think most people would be shocked if he watches even a small fraction of eircom League players that Brian Kerr did (following Delaney decision that an English-based manager was the only option).

**eirebhoy** · 10/02/2006, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

Sounds like he posts on here.

I'd be very suprised if he wasn't reading this forum. The only place that Dominic Foley came up was on here. If I was an Eircom League player I'd certainly be reading this forum and I'm sure O'Donovan is.

**Paddy Garcia** · 10/02/2006, 2:49 PM

Well..... he should be practicing.

**Cosmo** · 10/02/2006, 3:11 PM

Originally Posted by pete

20 years old & wise beyond his years.

totally agree - top things he said there - if hes good enough for the irish squad, thats another matter!

**Jerry The Saint** · 10/02/2006, 3:15 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I'd be very suprised if he wasn't reading this forum. The only place that Dominic Foley came up was on here. If I was an Eircom League player I'd certainly be reading this forum and I'm sure O'Donovan is.

Oi, O'Donovan, Back to Work! Who do you think you are - a Daily Star journalist?

**Fergie's Son** · 10/02/2006, 3:23 PM

This doesn't smell right. Nobody has mentioned Foley anywhere else. The Belgian league really isn't that impressive so I think someone is just fishing for a story. Go away O'Donovan you hack.

**pete** · 10/02/2006, 4:48 PM

Originally Posted by Cosmo

totally agree - top things he said there - if hes good enough for the irish squad, thats another matter!

Thats not the issue really. Hes just saying its unfair on Irish players to go fishing for grannie rule players when they not sure they want to play for "their" country anyway.

Foley could be mentioned any number of websites.

**dr_peepee** · 10/02/2006, 7:05 PM

Didn't Staunton say in a press conference that his scouting was gonna extend to Ireland and the Eircom league....

**pete** · 10/02/2006, 9:44 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

Didn't Staunton say in a press conference that his scouting was gonna extend to Ireland and the Eircom league....

Still missing the issue.

**cheifo** · 10/02/2006, 10:42 PM

Very well said by O Donavon.Impressive.Even though I am a Harps supporter
I enjoyed watching him play last year(Especially against Derry

)BTW Cork fans who is the better player O Donavon or Kearney?

**A face** · 11/02/2006, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry The Saint

Oi, O'Donovan, Back to Work! Who do you think you are - a Daily Star journalist?

Its funny cos its true !!

**pete** · 11/02/2006, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by cheifo

BTW Cork fans who is the better player O Donavon or Kearney?

Easily O'Donovan & not just because he staying. Still very raw talent but loads of potential & more like converted forward than winger as very good at converting goal chances.

**adamcarr** · 11/02/2006, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by cheifo

BTW Cork fans who is the better player O Donavon or Kearney?

O'Donovan by a mile. Much quicker, consistent, more reliable and also much better with the ball at his feet. than Kearney, you'd never see Roy fcuking up like Kearney did against Slavia. Roy also gets plentyt of goals for a winger.

**dr_peepee** · 15/02/2006, 7:28 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Still missing the issue.

What issue? He hasn't announced a squad yet... And it'll be a couple of months before any Eircom league player will be in a position to represent ireland so essentially he hasn't done anything to warrant any negative vibes regarding his attitude to the Eircom league.

**pete** · 15/02/2006, 9:02 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

What issue? He hasn't announced a squad yet..

He was talking about Staunton basically pimping himself for people who need to decide to play for their country. Do you disagree?

If you want to play for your country, when you are called up you say yes.

Any player that improves Ireland as a team is great, but what i don't agree with is people saying that they have options to play with this team and that team and it's whoever comes knocking first. I just find that a bit false, you know.

**dr_peepee** · 15/02/2006, 11:22 PM

No one seemed to mention the good players in our league. That really annoys me, to see our league is frowned upon despite the good things we have done.

Probbly paid too much attention to that quote...

As for Staunton exploiting the granny rule, whether we like it or not it's within the rules and he would be foolish not to use it as best he could. It's like Allardyce exploiting the offside ruling to rediculous levels a couple of times last year. It's not prety, it's argaubly not fair, but it's there to be used and Bolton are playing European football this year.

I'm as patriotic as most but whether we agree with the Granny rule or not, is irrelevent. Fact is it's a rule, and if Staunton didn't play to the limits of the rules he wouldn't be doing his job properly.

The fear that granny rule will be counter productive to real bred and/or born Irish people is misplaced. By all means resent the "blow in" that's playing in your position for your country. But if anything it should be an insentive to oust him...