Merson's comments...

**nui-harp** · 12/02/2007, 3:22 PM

Was listening to the sports on the radio this mornin and they said that over the weekend Paul Merson, who was boss at Walsall when Staunton was there, said that Staunton was never a coach.....just a player!!! Anybody else hear this or know anything about it?

**youngirish** · 12/02/2007, 3:29 PM

I've heard this numerous times. Apparently Staunton was only on the books as a coach for tax reasons or some other business shi*te. He never actually did any coaching. Merson has stated this before.

**carloz** · 12/02/2007, 3:33 PM

And look at Mersons career since and he was actually the manager. We have to put up with this excuse of a 'gaffur'

**cavan_fan** · 12/02/2007, 4:23 PM

As they were subject to a salary cap, Stan was hired as a coach to ensure the cap wasnt breached.

**Dodge** · 12/02/2007, 4:43 PM

Hlaf his wages came from playing budget and other half came from coaching budget. Thought this was common knowledge tbh

**Jerry The Saint** · 12/02/2007, 6:07 PM

At the time of Staunton's appointment, Walsall's official website listed around half a dozen members of the coaching staff and Staunton's name was conspicuously absent. He certainly had a less-important coaching role than Mark Kinsella who was another "player-coach" under a similar arrangement.

Someone

put forward the idea that Staunton was "assistant manager" in a vain attempt to add credibility to the idea that Stan had even made a first step into management as a post-playing career. Lazy journalists went with this and the error is still largely unchallenged and will pop up from time to time.

**joema** · 12/02/2007, 6:43 PM

Yeah and as far as I know Kinsella took charge of the reserves a few times aswell - the fact that he was in charge of the reserves and not Staunton says a lot IMO

**eirebhoy** · 12/02/2007, 7:14 PM

Merson said this months ago on "You're on Sky Sports". It's common knowledge now.

**dodgycanadian** · 12/02/2007, 10:25 PM

Also heard Kevin MacDonald was workin in a ****in chipper before staunton asked him to be his assistant

**khoop** · 12/02/2007, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by dodgycanadian

Also heard Kevin MacDonald was workin in a ****in chipper before staunton asked him to be his assistant

Surely that's qualification enough?

**danonion** · 12/02/2007, 11:07 PM

Kevin McDonald must be handling Robbie's nutrition by the look of things.

**drinkfeckarse** · 13/02/2007, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by dodgycanadian

Also heard Kevin MacDonald was workin in a ****in chipper before staunton asked him to be his assistant

Doubt that's true. O'Leary stated a few weeks ago that Stan came to ask his permission to use McDonald so he must have been employed by Villa in some capacity.

**pete** · 13/02/2007, 1:13 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Hlaf his wages came from playing budget and other half came from coaching budget. Thought this was common knowledge tbh

Probably trying to dodgy the wage percentage limit on turnover for that league. Is Merson still there? Surprised he admitting they openly breaking the rules.

Are we suggesting that no coaching experience bad but if he has some coaching experience at Walsall then that ok?

**eirebhoy** · 13/02/2007, 1:17 PM

Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

Doubt that's true. O'Leary stated a few weeks ago that Stan came to ask his permission to use McDonald so he must have been employed by Villa in some capacity.

I don't know if dodgycanadian was being sarcastic but Kevin McDonald is definitely the reserve team manager at Villa.

**youngirish** · 13/02/2007, 2:12 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

I don't know if dodgycanadian was being sarcastic but Kevin McDonald is definitely the reserve team manager at Villa.

A guess would suggest he probably wasn't intending it to be taken as gospel. A f**kin chipper is hardly the first place where the FAI look to get their coaching staff. It's actually the tea room at Walsall if you must know.

**Peadar** · 13/02/2007, 3:09 PM

You must all be very bored with life, if you're having this conversation!

Call him a coach, call him an assistant manager, call him the Chief Executive Director of International Football Delevopment, for all I care. No matter what title you bestow upon him, nothing will change the fact that Stephen Staunton is grossly incompetent and tactically inept to such a degree, that it will eventually prove fatal for his career in management.

Stick that in The Star on Saturday, I'll stand over it in any court!