QuoteStan displays a stunning ability to save syllables on every subject
Tuesday May 9th 2006
STEVE STAUNTON was never going to be an easy interview subject.
Renowned as a master of the monosyllable, Ireland's manager is the Eddie Hobbs of language economy and, in order to maximise the verbal profit, a clear plan of attack was essential.
Aware that he had spent the previous two hours answering questions on the squad for the training camp in Portugal and subsequent friendly with Chile, the idea was to steer him away from those subjects and get him to open up on alternative issues. Simple - in theory.
And to kick off, the ice-breaker with accompanying chuckle . . .
"Well Steve, thanks for taking the time, you love all this media stuff, don't you?"
"No."
"Ah, it's not all that bad."
"I never enjoy the media duties." Heavy sigh. "But, it's part of the job, has to be done."
A rough opening, but the non-Ireland related questions would get him going.
"So, that was some story with Ruud van Nistelrooy, eh?"
"What? Has he an Irish grandmother?"
"Eh, no, the thing with Ferguson on Sunday?"
"What happened?"
"He stormed off before the Charlton game and Ferguson tore into him saying he wasn't pulling his weight and was damaging morale."
"It's not my concern."
"But do you think Fergie was right? Should he have tried to keep him onside and motivate him, rather than publicly give up on him?"
"I'm sure Ferguson did what he thought was best."
"But do you not think . . . "
"Listen, that man has been doing the job long enough, it's not for me to comment on how he does it."
"Well, you would agree that team spirit is hugely important? Isn't that why you brought back Mick Byrne into the set-up?"
"Team spirit is everything. When you're away in a hotel for 10 days, you want characters around the place and Mick Byrne, as we all know, is a character. It makes my job easier."
"You mentioned that the media duties are a chore, so did you think Luiz Felipe Scolari was right when he turned down England rather than taking on all that pressure?"
"Listen, I've enough to deal with in my own job. It's none of my business."
"Okay, well, what do you think about Steve McClaren getting the job then?"
"I wish him every success, good luck to him."
"You've played under some notable managers, Kenny Dalglish, Ron Atkinson, Gordon Strachan, Jack Charlton . . . who had the most influence on you?"
"I wouldn't single out any one in particular. I've tried to draw on all of them. Everybody's got good and bad points, I've tried to take what I liked myself as a player and avoid what I didn't like."
"So what was Big Ron like to play for?"
"Great motivator."
"Do you think he was a good manager?"
"He got the team (Aston Villa) playing 'proper football', as I like to call it. It was an attacking style, easy on the eye, enjoyable to watch and to play."
"So, on that basis, was it frustrating to play for Ireland in the Charlton era?"
"No."
"But, you were being asked to hoof the ball long when your instincts would have been to keep it on the ground."
"Listen, we were successful. Once you enjoy success, you don't care how you get it. You play the system."
"Will you get over to see your county (Louth) take on Meath this Sunday?
"I'd love to, but it depends on whether I have the time."
"How do you feel about the way GAA is going with the GPA and player demands?"
"Listen, whatever happens in the Gaelic world happens."
"Do you take an active interest in any other sports?"
"I follow rugby. I was at the Munster-Leinster game a few weeks ago and it was a great occasion."
"How do you see the Heineken Cup final going?"
"Biarritz are a good side and I don't think Munster will be able to do to them what they did to Leinster. They reckon it will be dour, tough on the eye, but I tell you what, it's going to be hard-hitting, it'll be some game.
"We'll be in Portugal but I'll definitely try to get to a big screen to see the game somewhere."
"You know Paul O'Connell is carrying an injury?"
"Is he? Are they playing them games again?"
"How did you first get into rugby?"
"I played for Dundalk as a youngster. I was a full back-cum-winger, but I was a catch-and-kick merchant, it certainly wasn't for my speed."
And then . . . a laugh . . . and our time is up.
Steve Staunton may regard interviews as a verbal trip to the dentist, but it would be completely wrong to describe him as terse or rude.
There is an obvious intelligence there, along with a droll sense of humour, the man just chooses his words carefully and prefers to limit his comments to issues that affect him directly.
If he was employed as a cabaret artist, there would be a problem, but (in Stan-speak) the man is paid to win football matches, not to make people laugh.
Enough said.
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