Transcript of Brian Lennox Interview on Cork Campus Radio

**James** · 26/11/2002, 5:36 PM

97.6 Fm
thanks to ruairi and Helen for the interview
good job lads
interview played on Poc Off sports program today on 97.6 fm
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This is the transcript of the interview with Brian Lennox, done by Helen
Aherne

HA: Now that you've publicy supported under fire manager Liam Murphy, is
this the dreaded vote of confidence given by a chairman before he sacks him?

BL: [laughs] No it's not, no. Liam is doing a great job, and I'm fully behind
him all the way. I think there's an element out there that think he's under
achieved, I don' believe that.

HA: City's results haven't been that impressive of late, do you think LM
is unfairly taking all the blame?

BL: Yeah, he is. Some of the players aren't playing to their potential, I
know the manager is supposed to get the beat out of them, I believe the negative
shouting from the crowd doesn't help. I think Liam is getting too much of
the blame and I don't think there's anybody to blame to be quite honest with
ya, it's just think it's the way things are.

HA: Do you think City's results have overshadowed the great work LM has done?

BL: Yeah. We're just going through a bad patch, and a bit of bad luck, and
I believe that startinf Friday night against Shelbourne, I think that we
should get back on our winning ways.

HA: If you were Liam Murphy over the season, would you have done anything
differently?

BL: I probably would have bought more players, but then again, Liam's a very
hard working man, and he hasn't got the opportunities to go across the water
to see some professionals over there. We do have some great young talent
coming through, but it'll take time to bed them in.

HA: You say in your statement in the Echo today that liam Murphy is the most
under estimated manger in the EL, who is he underestimated by?

BL: I think ourselves. I think everybody who supports City don't realise
he's a quiet chap, ya know, and he doesn't express himself very much. He
kinda stands there, it seems to [some people] that he's arrogant, but he's
not a bit arrogant, he's just quiet ya know?

HA: Why do you think he comes across that way?

BL: I think it's just the way Liam is.

HA. Do you think funding is a factor in why ye didn't sign up as many new
players?

BL: I think so, but also I believe in the youth policy. We have started up
an academy here, and we do have three other temas that feed our senior team
with young players, and I know that is the way to go for the future. So patience
is the biggest word here.

HA: What's your prediction for the game against Shels?

BL: I think we'll win.

HA: What are your predictions for the rest of the season?

BL: I honestly think Bohs should win, they're a great team, and I hope that Cork will come second.

**pete** · 26/11/2002, 5:51 PM

Nothing I wouldn't expect a Director/Chairman to say - sure if any of us were lucky enough to be in that position we wouldn't publically criticise the manager either.

His comments about unsupportive chants further convince me the silent protest is the way to go. On the other hand if people don't chant Murphy Out its put down as a minority...

Some of the players aren't playing to their potential, I know the manager is supposed to get the beat out of them,

Beat? Best? Not much differnece in Liam speak i'd say.

Whatever else i think a second mid table finish should mean the end of Murphy.

**Ruairi** · 27/11/2002, 7:45 AM

He
kinda stands there

Paticularly on match days. Normally against the dugout. With a vacant expression on his face

**Dricky** · 27/11/2002, 8:50 AM

what bothers me is that these disgruntled fans have only just appeared according to CCFC.
This is not true its just that the flag has made them take notice as numbers swell.
Murphy is not good enough to manage the club. I hope he stays with CCFC but not as manager.

**�anna** · 27/11/2002, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by Dricky
what bothers me is that these disgruntled fans have only just appeared according to CCFC.

Thats only spin- they know there�s been an undercurrent of anti-murphyism for months.

**dalo** · 27/11/2002, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by �anna

Thats only spin- they know there�s been an undercurrent of anti-murphyism for months.

is it possible to actually quantify it? do you mean a high %amongst the 7,000 fans who went to the derry game or the 50 or so who attended the rovers and ucd away games.

as for BL interview typically bland stuff. BL is no fool he knows Liam's time is at a end- it's best gunther goes in jan.

**pete** · 27/11/2002, 1:09 PM

Originally posted by dalo
as for BL interview typically bland stuff. BL is no fool he knows Liam's time is at a end- it's best gunther goes in jan.

I don't think anyone is suggesting it likely Murphy would leave before the end of the season.

Murphys interview on tvs shown on monday had the look of a mana about to give an all or nothing last go at it...

**�anna** · 27/11/2002, 5:10 PM

Originally posted by dalo
is it possible to actually quantify it? do you mean a high %amongst the 7,000 fans who went to the derry game or the 50 or so who attended the rovers and ucd away games.

as for BL interview typically bland stuff. BL is no fool he knows Liam's time is at a end- it's best gunther goes in jan.

Very hard to quantify it really. All I would say is that about 80% of people I know would be for a change in management. There are different kinds of people in the "group" though: there�s obviously the people who are vocal about it (like me), people who don�t believe in being vocal about it (you dalo for example) and people who are in one or other of those groups but chose to say little or nothing for various reasons, and people who think a new man might be better, but feel they�re being disloyal if they say it.

I think if you were to compare the number of people who would regard themselves as being "against" murphy with the number of people who would agree that a change would be for the best, you would find a large gap. At a guess I�d say 60-70% minimum are for a change in manager, with maybe only 50-60% of them actually "anti" murphy.

I think you�re spot on in your assessment of the interview- they�re trying to give Murphy the chance to walk away with his pride intact. Hopefully he�ll take the hint.

**pete** · 27/11/2002, 5:32 PM

You don't have to be anti-Murphy to prefer he was not the manager of the club.

I'm not anti anyone, i've just seen enough of city this season & last to believe there not enough 'managing' of the team. I don't know if we be better with a different manager but cannot see us improving undert he current management team.

Maybe Lennoxs comments about Murphy not having enough time are the way out - maybe he really does not have enough time time since he is only part-time with city?

Must be strange/difficult for fulltime players (its their career/job) taking direction from a part-time employee of the club.

**�anna** · 27/11/2002, 6:00 PM

Originally posted by pete
You don't have to be anti-Murphy to prefer he was not the manager of the club.

I'm not anti anyone, i've just seen enough of city this season & last to believe there not enough 'managing' of the team. I don't know if we be better with a different manager but cannot see us improving undert he current management team.

Thats a key point. And a lot of the peopple who are "Pro-change" but not not "anti-murphy" will not open their moths at games- thats why Ibelieve the majority is in favour of a change.

I would describe myself as "anti-murphy." I have no problem admitting it. I thought the man was wrong for the job the day he got it, and I have never sen anything to change my mind. I�ve heard to many stories about him, seen too many matches "managed" by him and read too many bullsh�t excuses from him to have any respect or patience for the guy.

**patsh** · 27/11/2002, 6:25 PM

From reaction during home games, dalo, I'd estimate that there are about
40% who are against LM and are vocal about it,
another 25-30% who don't rate him,
20% who would like a change in the management.
That leaves 10-15% for Murphy.

Obviously this is not "scientific" and is very rough estimation, but from just my own observation, there are very few fans who are happy with and support Liam Murphy.

**Colm** · 27/11/2002, 6:33 PM

Originally posted by oddboy
From reaction during home games, dalo, I'd estimate that there are about
40% who are against LM and are vocal about it,
another 25-30% who don't rate him,
20% who would like a change in the management.
That leaves 10-15% for Murphy.

Obviously this is not "scientific" and is very rough estimation, but from just my own observation, there are very few fans who are happy with and support Liam Murphy.

I'd say you're about right there oddboy.
The vast majority of people do not rate Murphy but only some of them are vocal about it.
Without wanting to cause offence, imo the majority of the 10/15% who support Murphy haven't a clue and don't attend games on a regular basis. I don't think there is much more than a handful of regular supporters who back him.

**�anna** · 28/11/2002, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by James
Liam is doing a great job, and I'm fully behind him all the way.

Wouldn�t I be right in thinking you have to be behind someone to stab them in the back

**pete** · 28/11/2002, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by COLM
Without wanting to cause offence, imo the majority of the 10/15% who support Murphy haven't a clue and don't attend games on a regular basis. I don't think there is much more than a handful of regular supporters who back him.

I'd have to agree with that although given the increase in attendances this season i'd put that figure at more like 30-40%. Lets face it if you haven't gone to the cross much in the past & have seen city unbeaten at home in the league this season you not likely to be shouting to have the manager removed.

One thing you can never say about city on their travels this season is they been unlucky...

**�anna** · 28/11/2002, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by pete
One thing you can never say about city on their travels this season is they been unlucky...

Yeah, more than any other crap murphy has come out with, that exucse has annoyed me the most. We have been simply WOEFUL away from home, and the few points we have, we were lucky to get them. Bohs should have walloped us, Monaghan and Harps were both unlucky not to beat us, and I don�t even want to think how many pats would have scored if they�d kept trying