The Gaffer Speaks

[zenokelly]

Great confidence booster for all the Championship players. Well played Stan!!!

[d22ontour]

"We are not blessed with the biggest or strongest of squads. But over the next few years it will get stronger because these players will mature together - if allowed.It remains to be seen if Staunton is allowed oversee that maturity."

I can only hope he isn't in charge though as stated above how bad will we have to get before he is got rid of ?

[Billsthoughts]

Everyone swears I know in everyday chit chat all the time there's nothing aggressive about it. Most Irish people I know converse that way. It distinguishes us from the Queen.

Do you have lots of problems with people mistaking you for a big Queen???

[Irish_Praha]

Just saw John O'Shea's interview on the BBC after the game today. He actually came across quite well. This just highlights even further how cr@p Stan is with the media, when one of his players can conduct a much better interview. However, maybe it's easier to give a good interview after you have scored the winning goal against your biggest traditional rivals, than after getting trashed by Cyprus.

[Torn-Ado]

I think we all would have more respect for Staunton if he came out after the Cyprus and San Marino games and admitted that the team were rubbish. And admit that they will have to work harder. And apologise to the fans for witnessing such tripe. Rather than the 'San Marino are a handful' and 'we got three points' cr@p we were subjected to.

Every Irish manager that we've known has this 'them against me' attitude with the press and quite frankly it p!sses me off that they think there is some sort of vendetta against them. Do it on the field and you won't get flak lads...They son't seem to understand this.

[Irish_Praha]

Just saw John O'Shea's interview on the BBC after the game today. He actually came across quite well. This just highlights even further how cr@p Stan is with the media, when one of his players can conduct a much better interview. However, maybe it's easier to give a good interview after you have scored the winning goal against your biggest traditional rivals, than after getting trashed by Cyprus.

I've just thought more about this and I've concluded that the curtains in my front room would come across better in an interview than Stan.

[Den Perry]

matchday squad off the top of my head from the premiership:

given

finnan
dunne
o'shea
geary

duff
ireland
a.reid
s.reid

keane
doyle

subs:
kenny
andy o'brien
stephen quinn
alan quinn
stephen hunt

granted the 2 reid's are currently injured, but that starting xi is fairly strong,
I'm aware andy o'brien on the bench doesn't play much, but he is still in the premiership
that's still not including the likes of McGeady, O'Dea, or Ian Harte.
next season could see any number from McShane, Stephen Kelly, Stokes, Miller, Connolly, Murphy, Elliott, Keogh, Ward all added to that list

<edit>
just went through your list greendeiseboy, I forgot long, kilbane, carsley and carr!

In my opinion, Paddy Mcarthy is a far better player than Mcshane.....

[gustavo]

Everyone swears I know in everyday chit chat all the time there's nothing aggressive about it. Most Irish people I know converse that way. It distinguishes us from the Queen.

Thank God I curse like a docker then otherwise woe betide me I would be constantly mistaken for royalty.

[Lionel Ritchie]

There's a line in an episode of the Simpsons that reminds me of our Stan now ...Lisa quotes an old saying to Homer "Better a fool not open his mouth than speak and forever remove all doubt".*

I'd like to think Stan realises he's not the sharpest tool in the box and reckons brevity to be the safest course. Doesn't appear to be that clued in though.

Frankly I reckon there's a better chance of Dennis Wise being fired by the godfather of his kids (who just happens to be Leeds chairman) than there is of a move against Stan from within the FAIlures.

*Homer replies, "takes one to know one!"

[tetsujin1979]

In my opinion, Paddy Mcarthy is a far better player than Mcshane.....

Quite possibly, but my point was that McShane is more likely to be playing in the Premiership next season. West Brom are in the play off positions and looking to remain there until the end of the season, Leicester are going to finish mid table at best, and with McCarthy almost certainly out until next season, he's less likely to get a transfer to a Premiership club.

[eirebhoy]

In my opinion, Paddy Mcarthy is a far better player than Mcshane.....

I don't agree. McCarthy will be 24 next season. He's hardly much of a prospect. McShane looks a really intelligient player who I can see improving a lot.

[carloz]

Ferguson really didnt want to get rid of McShane. Man City didnt try to hard to keep McCarthy. Says it all really IMO

[YankExile]

I've just thought more about this and I've concluded that the curtains in my front room would come across better in an interview than Stan.

After reading that, I dreamed last night of trying to conduct an interview with a set of curtains.

[tetsujin1979]

Great confidence booster for all the Championship players. Well played Stan!!!

I reckon it was all reverse psychology on Stan's part, look at the performance of the Irish in the Championship at the weekend!!Well played indeed

[Aldini98]

I said from Day one at the break table in work that we would finish 5th in the Group, nothing has happened to change my opinion except Wales have been worse than I expected

[paul_oshea]

lads i want whoever can do the best job and get us qualifying for matches, it doesnt look like stan is capable of that yet, and i hope either way that we still qualify, even if that means he has to be the manager then so be it, but people saying how many more games do we to lose before he is out - the expectant - change that to how many games do we need to win to stand a chance of qualifying again. If we dont win them then get rid of him, but until then cant we be more positive. WE ARE PLAYING IN CROKER WITH 76000 others there with us singing on our own countries team.get behind the team.

[Jerry The Saint]

More words of wisdom from Stan 'Sharp as a Tack' Stanton

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=15370

On the reaction to the moral defeat in SM

I was told I wasn't going to turn up today but I'm here and it's not going to phase me. Walls have ears as you well know. It's all part and parcel of the game but it's got to a new level over here unfortunately.

We want to qualify but change isn't going happen overnight especially when you look at how many players have no more than eight caps in our squad, probably two thirds of them.


On Duff, Keane etc. retiring if Staunton left

Comical.

But it's typical of what's going on. Every single one of them is proud to pull on that green jersey and there's none of them would want to retire, not at the ages they are.

The only thing that might happen, because of the volume of criticism, is that it might put younger players off because they may not be able to handle it. We have to be able to guard them against that.


On the San Marino game itself

I don't expect better against the Welsh, I know I'll get it. I want more and I know that we can give more. We know it wasn't pretty and we were bitterly disappointed. That's myself, the staff, the players.

But I'll tell you what, I wasn't half happy when we scored that winner. At the end of the day, people might see it differently, but it would have been easy for the team to bow their heads in the last few minutes.

Yet they dug deep and found that spirit which I'll expect from the first whistle, not just towards the end of the game.

There were other factors in that game as regards people having yellow cards and being determined not to miss the games at Croke Park. But that goes out the window now and if they're not performing we will change things around.


On new Premiership and Éire Superstar Caleb Folan

I've seen him play on Sky highlights against Man City


Darren O'Dea

When I spoke to Gordon Strachan at the start of the season he felt that he was nowhere near ready for this level but speaking to him last week he's raving about him and is delighted with his attitude.

He's a good footballer with a sweet left foot and a range of passing in addition to being a solid defender who attacks the ball well. Gordon has no doubt that if I played him he would be able to cope after the way he performed against Milan.


On the need to get 6 points from the next two games

I've had that opinion from day one. When you look at the group you have to win your home games. They are games now where history is in the making.

They're all looking forward to it and wish it was this weekend rather than next weekend. They're top professionals and I think they'll rise to the occasion.

More importantly, after the bitter disappointment in the dressing room after San Marino they'll be out to prove a point whether it's Croke Park or anywhere. I know I'll get the right reaction.

[Qwerty]

It is ironic that as Stan is saying that it is better to call up a striker because he is playing in the Premiership while more experienced players are doing very well in the Championship England are just about to call up a Championship striker for the first time since Graham Taylor's touching romance with Steve Bull.

I like the way he says he was impressed by Long in training prior to the San Marino game, that is priceless.

[Soper]

On new Premiership and Éire Superstar Caleb Folan

I've seen him play on Sky highlights against Man City

Nice one

[Noelys Guitar]

Nice one

So you only need to watch Sky highlights to pick the squad. I somehow fancy there will be many more applicants when Stan is eventually forced out. Why bother going out at all. Get a couple of cans in, put the feet up and switch on the box. Great overhead kick by that guy in the 15 second clip. Get him in! FFS! Again FFS!