The selection team

[galwayhoop]

The longer this whole process goes on the more and more it looks as if this is all just a charade and El Tel is going to get the job (or has already got it) anyway. Could it be that we, the supporters, are being duped into believing that there is a proper and transparent process at work. While all along the post is going to be filled by the man who the players expressed they wanted during their meeting with Delaney in Cardiff on the eve of our final qualification game??

Discuss

[carloz]

Its been a joke since the day they decided to put the current under 21 manager, who might i add is doing a dreadful job with them, on the committee. How in gods name can having him on the committee be justified. The fact that he is attending a coaching meeting next week while the process is still going on again shows the process is a joke. On your point i dont think the players should have been asked for their opinion at all. The players got what they wanted in the manager with Stan and mick Byrne back, look how that ended up

[irishfan86]

I honestly don't think the 3 wise men would act as Delaney's puppets.

Don Givens doesn't seem to be that kind of character, and I can't see Houghton going along with it either.

The only way Venables will be appointed is if he is deemed the best man for the job, but considering the largely negative public reaction on supporters sites like this, and the rumours that a large chunk of the FAI board would be against his appointment, I have a hard time believing he'll actually get it.

[jbyrne]

now beginning to think its a sham but what keeps me thinking that it may be a genuine process is that i dont think houghton would let himself be used like that unless he has been fooled into it

[Kingdom]

I honestly don't think the 3 wise men would act as Delaney's puppets.

Don Givens doesn't seem to be that kind of character, and I can't see Houghton going along with it either.

The only way Venables will be appointed is if he is deemed the best man for the job, but considering the largely negative public reaction on supporters sites like this, and the rumours that a large chunk of the FAI board would be against his appointment, I have a hard time believing he'll actually get it.

I think you're being slightly naive. Why wouldn't Givens be that type of character. After all, he's done an abonimal job with the U 21's and has never been in trouble of losing his job, the fcukin joker.
As for Houghton, he may be a legend for achievements on the pitch, but have you heard him either commentating or analysing on RTE? You wouldn't know he is an ex-pro, hell he makes Kenny (pronounce ev-er-y let-ter in the al-pha-bet) CUnningham sound like Helenio Herrara.

[irishfan86]

I think you're being slightly naive. Why wouldn't Givens be that type of character. After all, he's done an abonimal job with the U 21's and has never been in trouble of losing his job, the fcukin joker.
As for Houghton, he may be a legend for achievements on the pitch, but have you heard him either commentating or analysing on RTE? You wouldn't know he is an ex-pro, hell he makes Kenny (pronounce ev-er-y let-ter in the al-pha-bet) CUnningham sound like Helenio Herrara.

Neither of us know Givens personally, and I'm certainly not defending his management record with the U-21s, which as you say is abominable, but he comes across as a combative character who doesn't really take ****.

I have a hard time seeing him pushed around by the likes of Delaney.

In any event, if the board don't want Venables, and there seems to be rumours of that, then it doesn't really matter if the 3 dons put him forward as their first choice.

In any event, I get the impression the 3 lads are not making the appointment- they are just giving a list of interested candidates who have been interviewed in the order that they rate them.

That's why you hear things like, "the 3 wise men will present their shortlist to the board in early February following the January 22nd meeting."

[eirebhoy]

Givens keeps saying it's his belief that the panel will go with the manager they put forward. I think that's what he wants to believe but he probably has his doubts.

[Block G Raptor]

I Think the whole conspiracy theory thing is getting a bit carried away. why are people on here so sure that El Tel will get the job, do they know something the journo's, the bookie's and the 3 Don's don't? why would the FAI drag this process on so long if they already had their man, what exactly would they achieve by announcing that the 3 wise men had decided on Venables in February in stead of announcing in January that the three wise men have decided on Venables.

If this were a crime it would be motiveless

[irishfan86]

I Think the whole conspiracy theory thing is getting a bit carried away. why are people on here so sure that El Tel will get the job, do they know something the journo's, the bookie's and the 3 Don's don't? why would the FAI drag this process on so long if they already had their man, what exactly would they achieve by announcing that the 3 wise men had decided on Venables in February in stead of announcing in January that the three wise men have decided on Venables.

Roy would say to save money on salary.

[John83]

...Could it be that we, the supporters, are being duped into believing that there is a proper and transparent process at work...

Who said it's transparent? The FAI have made it clear that it's being done behind closed doors with this statement which politely asked the media to **** off.

[Noelys Guitar]

50 Grand has been bet on Houllier within the last 20 mins on Betfair.

[cavan_fan]

The longer this whole process goes on the more and more it looks as if this is all just a charade and El Tel is going to get the job (or has already got it) anyway. Could it be that we, the supporters, are being duped into believing that there is a proper and transparent process at work. While all along the post is going to be filled by the man who the players expressed they wanted during their meeting with Delaney in Cardiff on the eve of our final qualification game??

Discuss

If you think that i suggest you avail yourself of the 4/1 available on betfair for venables

[Philly]

The idea that the FAI are using a selection committee as a smoke-screen for them to appoint Venables is stupid because:
-they turned him down themselves last time
-those involved wouldn't get involved in such a charade
-if the FAI wanted to appoint him originally they could have, and there would have been nothing wrong with it

I don't like this process or it's drawn-out nature either, but I thoink it is what they say it is and not some conspiracy theory to appoint somebody they could have just appointed anyways.

[Jicked]

Proof that the whole thing is a sham is the presence of Don Howe. What other reason could there possibly be in having such an irrelevant figure have such power over choosing the new manager. I think Delaney wanted Venables from the word go, and picked three stooges to make improve the chances of him being given Venables' name to appoint.

I also think all three have behaved terribly - David O'Leary was always going to be in the frame for the job at least, and being available should have been one of the first people to be contacted about an interview. Why wait until mid January before asking him for an interview?? Baffling stuff.

[tetsujin1979]

I also think all three have behaved terribly - David O'Leary was always going to be in the frame for the job at least, and being available should have been one of the first people to be contacted about an interview. Why wait until mid January before asking him for an interview?? Baffling stuff.

Ken Earlie from Off The Ball spoke with O'Leary today, according to him the Dons and Ray approached him in December for an interview, and he mulled it over, and decided this week not to do it.
I'd blame O'Leary more there.

[Noelys Guitar]

Ken Earlie from Off The Ball spoke with O'Leary today, according to him the Dons and Ray approached him in December for an interview, and he mulled it over, and decided this week not to do it.
I'd blame O'Leary more there.

Ontheball contacted O'Leary for his version of events and here it is. One of the 3 amigo's (allegedly Givens) contacted O'Leary before christmas to find out if he was willing to be interviewed. O'Leary told him there and then no with a few expletitives thrown in. Then today a journo contacted O'Leary and he reiterated that he is not interested.

[geysir]

O'Leary is just getting his rejection in first.

[DRDoc]

50 Grand has been bet on Houllier within the last 20 mins on Betfair.

What are you talking about Noely?

[Tir Oilean]

I see where you are coming from about this appointment looking like a farce however its pretty clear to me that the media are taking the absolute pi** by keeping the rumour mills going (3 dfferent favourites this week alone). Having said that the muppets in the FAI have set themselves up for ridicule a long time ago. The worrying factor is that El Tel seems to be the most consistant name in the rumours since the early stages. If he is appointed I would have to say that the FAI is a farce.

[Stuttgart88]

I don't like this process or it's drawn-out nature either, but I think it is what they say it is and not some conspiracy theory to appoint somebody they could have just appointed anyways.

I agree and furthermore, given that this is the route they have taken, they're right to keep quiet about the status of the interviews and candidates. It's frustrating but it is what it is and we'll know soon enough.