Robbie Keane on Late Late Show Tonight

**Torn-Ado** · 23/10/2007, 8:58 PM

Originally Posted by RogerMilla

robbie keane needs a target man , we need to blood one in at international level and then let doyle and long push robbie for his place.

I've been saying this for ages. Doyle and Keane up front is never going to work when you have technically inept midfielders and defenders.

We desperately need a big guy up front. A good big guy.

**NeilMcD** · 23/10/2007, 8:59 PM

what about a step ladder.

**NeilMcD** · 26/10/2007, 11:52 AM

Stan hounded out, declares Hunt

By Jon West
STEPHEN HUNT is convinced a media witch hunt cost Steve Staunton his job � and that whoever replaces him as Republic of Ireland manager faces an uphill task in persuading an increasingly sceptical public that the glory days can be recreated.

The man from Waterford had always been driven by a desire to represent his country at full international level, and as a result will always be grateful to Staunton for giving him that opportunity at the relatively late age of 26.

But Hunt�s arrival did little to stop the short-lived Staunton era coming to an abrupt and ignominious end once failure to beat Cyprus in Dublin confirmed what had been known for a while � the Irish presence would not be required at the Euro 2008 finals.

Hunt seems unshakeable in his belief that sections of the press had engineered Staunton�s downfall with a relentless campaign to undermine the former Liverpool man.

Indeed, before he sat down to give his thoughts on the matter in Reading yesterday, he enquired whether any representatives of Sunday newspapers were present.

�Whoever gets the job will have a tough task on his hands,� he said. �We have to get playing again, get playing well and get the country behind us again because it was the press that hounded the manager out. In the end the public supported the press.

�It was hard for me to be surprised when it happened. There was an awful lot of press in Ireland that wanted him out and it changed the atmosphere within Ireland in the end.�

However, Hunt indicated that the players wanted Staunton to stay.

�Everyone came to the opinion that they wanted him out but that was never the case with the players. It was just a matter of putting on the shirt, being proud and trying to do our best.

�Unfortunately it didn�t work out that way in the last few games but we have to look forward now and wait for the new appointment.�

Asked if the players had let the manager down, Hunt said: �I can only speak for myself. I had seven or eight qualifying games and I played okay in most. The last one I was disappointed with myself and was honest enough to say that after the game. I let a few people down and that goes for a few of us on the night. But over the whole I don�t think I let him down.�

And what of the Football Association of Ireland themselves, who had taken such a gamble in the first place?

Had the FAI treated their former favourite harshly? Hunt considered his response for a while.

�What would Roy Keane say?� was his eventual answer, five words that spoke if not volumes then enough to make his meaning clear.

But Hunt admitted high expectations were also essential for a nation that had developed a taste of the high life a decade or so ago.

He said: �We have fallen below expectations in terms of what Ireland could achieve. Over the years Ireland raised the bar so the generation that is playing now are expected to qualify for European Championships and World Cups, which is a good thing because if you are happy with third or fourth place then you might as well not be playing at all. I�m not happy with second either but that still qualifies you for big tournaments.�

Coppell: I was being flippant

Reading boss Steve Coppell, has said he was merely being flippant when questioned in a television interview about his availability for the vacant post of Ireland manager.

�I did an interview with Pat Dolan (on Setanta),� said Coppell yesterday. �He asked about it and I just said the older I get the more international football appeals to me. Eight games a year � I could quite happily do that. I did happen to mention my grandmother was Irish though so to all intents and purposes I qualify.�

Coppell went on to describe reports linking him to the Irish job as �mischievous�.

Click here for irishexaminer.com stories before this date

**texidub** · 26/10/2007, 2:46 PM

Disappointed with Hunt's comments. Seriously, what's wrong with players these days? Blaming the media for Staunton's departure? Jayzus... they need to take responsibility themselves.

Apologies if this has been posted elswhere, but Roy Keane seems more on the mark when he criticizes the players: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/7064109.stm

Sunderland boss Roy Keane believes poor displays from some Republic of Ireland stars played a major part in Steven Staunton's sacking earlier this week.
"A lot of it came down to the players and a lot of them certainly let the manager down with their performances," said the former Republic skipper.

**NeilMcD** · 26/10/2007, 2:53 PM

[QUOTE=texidub;801695]Disappointed with Hunt's comments. Seriously, what's wrong with players these days? Blaming the media for Staunton's departure? Jayzus... they need to take responsibility themselves.

I think its interesting that Hunt has said pretty much the same thing as Keane. As a lot of people on here seem to think that lads like him from the country would not have the same mentality as the likes of the Dublin guys. I thought Keanes interview with Kenny was terrible but it seems to me that he was not alone in his thoughts that the media did not do the team a favour.

**Torn-Ado** · 26/10/2007, 2:55 PM

Originally Posted by texidub

Disappointed with Hunt's comments. Seriously, what's wrong with players these days? Blaming the media for Staunton's departure? Jayzus... they need to take responsibility themselves.

Apologies if this has been posted elswhere, but Roy Keane seems more on the mark when he criticizes the players: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ls/7064109.stm

Sunderland boss Roy Keane believes poor displays from some Republic of Ireland stars played a major part in Steven Staunton's sacking earlier this week.
"A lot of it came down to the players and a lot of them certainly let the manager down with their performances," said the former Republic skipper.

Keane was bang on the mark in my opinion.

Its Stan this and Delaney that for the last 12 months while the players are sulking away about the meedja and fans. Its those soft **** fairies who's letting the nation down time and time again. None of them had the balls to take this qualifying campaign on and go for it.

And we can all talk for many months to come about new managers and the FAI etc. but it will be futile if the players on the field don't take the finger out and stop playing football like women.

**Armando** · 26/10/2007, 2:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

At least some of these players would have actually turned up had we qualified . . . .

...where's the 'yawn' smiley?

**CollegeTillIDie** · 26/10/2007, 3:14 PM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

And we can all talk for many months to come about new managers and the FAI etc. but it will be futile if the players on the field don't take the finger out and stop playing football like women.

As a fan of women's football and Noel King's international team in particular I wouldn't insult them by comparing the male wasters in the Senior team with them !

**bellavistaman** · 29/10/2007, 9:41 AM

I thought Robbies interview was good too, you could properly see the disappointment in him, and you could tell he and the players felt guilty about Stan. I think there right about the media the media has been disgraceful in its treatment of th eIrish national team. With the muppet comments and so on. But although i agree with robbie on the media being partly to blame the bloody players are only as much to blame. For **** sake even if i was manager and picked a 11 they should beat cyprus and ****ing comfortably too.

**paul_oshea** · 29/10/2007, 10:31 AM

I think its interesting that Hunt has said pretty much the same thing as Keane. As a lot of people on here seem to think that lads like him from the country would not have the same mentality as the likes of the Dublin guys. I thought Keanes interview with Kenny was terrible but it seems to me that he was not alone in his thoughts that the media did not do the team a favour.

After his captain goes out on National TV and says what he says, Hunt is hardly going to come out and say the complete opposite Neil, now is he?!

**lionelhutz** · 29/10/2007, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

I've been saying this for ages. Doyle and Keane up front is never going to work when you have technically inept midfielders and defenders.

We desperately need a big guy up front. A good big guy.

Like Tony Soprano maybe...

**bohsRap** · 29/10/2007, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

After his captain goes out on National TV and says what he says, Hunt is hardly going to come out and say the complete opposite Neil, now is he?!

I doubt he even knows what Robbie said to be honest.

**osarusan** · 29/10/2007, 2:01 PM

All the media did was put into print/image what everybody was saying...........that Stan was crap. Its not like they falsified results to "hound" him out of a job. He was crap, they said so. We all said so.

I don't need the media to tell me that losing 5-2 to Cyprus is a bad result.

**Torn-Ado** · 29/10/2007, 2:14 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

All the media did was put into print/image what everybody was saying...........that Stan was crap. Its not like they falsified results to "hound" him out of a job. He was crap, they said so. We all said so.

I don't need the media to tell me that losing 5-2 to Cyprus is a bad result.

Yes but the players think you do.

The big bad Meeeja!! Reminds me Chris Rock when he talks about the meeeja.

**Irish_Praha** · 29/10/2007, 4:58 PM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

I've been saying this for ages. Doyle and Keane up front is never going to work when you have technically inept midfielders and defenders.

We desperately need a big guy up front. A good big guy.

I agree, the problem is that we don't have a target man anywhere near the quality of Quinn at the moment.
However, Alan Lee is in good form at the moment he scored 16 last season and he's already scored 7 goals this season and in only 2 off the top scorer in the championship.
Keane has somehow managed to score 8 goals in the league and europe and is also only 2 goals behind the top scorer, Fabregas.

Lee is a bit of an unfashionable player and not as good a footballer as Doyle but he could possibly be a good partner for Keane or Doyle if he is given a decent chance. I know he's a pretty direct akward type of player but I'm not sure if he sets up a lot for his strike partners at Ipswich but it would be interesting to see howmany assists he has.

Anway if both players' form continue they should be started against Wales next month to see how they play together. If Murphy can get some time on the pitch then Lee deserves a shot.

**Stuttgart88** · 30/10/2007, 9:40 AM

I think Lee deserves a place in the squad. He's decent enough and brings something different to the table.

**paul_oshea** · 30/10/2007, 9:45 AM

ya gary doherty also brought something different to the table stutts!!

Most notably his 2 left feet!

**citizenerased** · 30/10/2007, 11:05 AM

lol..tell ya we missed 'the doc' against Cyprus

**lionelhutz** · 01/11/2007, 9:22 AM

I used to be very sceptical when I heard people say Keane needs a tall, intelligent link man up front who he can work off.

But after seeing him beautifully reading berbatov's flick on last night and numerous times this season (2 against liverpool) and burying the chances, maybe there is very good reasoning behind this theory.

The problem is Doyle isnt this type of player and neither are any of the rest of our strikers. So where are we going to get a berbatov or quinn??

**Billsthoughts** · 01/11/2007, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by lionelhutz

I used to be very sceptical when I heard people say Keane needs a tall, intelligent link man up front who he can work off.

But after seeing him beautifully reading berbatov's flick on last night and numerous times this season (2 against liverpool) and burying the chances, maybe there is very good reasoning behind this theory.

The problem is Doyle isnt this type of player and neither are any of the rest of our strikers. So where are we going to get a berbatov or quinn??

wasnt that the point of keogh? that he set up a load of goals for his strike partners?