EAMON DUNPHY HAS backed Martin O’Neill as the man to lead Ireland to the next European Championships.
O’Neill is the bookmakers’ firm favourite to replace Giovanni Trapattoni whose five years as manager came to an end following last night’s defeat in Austria.
David Alaba’s late winner effectively ended Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil next year and Dunphy, who has been one of Trap’s strongest critics, says Derry native O’Neill is the man to take this side forward.
“This Trapattoni experience has been an unhappy one for him,” Dunphy told Aine Lawlor on RTÉ News at One.
“It has been an unhappy one for the team and for the fans who are the most important people in all of this.
The short-term project is to get the right man in place now and I think Martin O’Neill is the right man.He has an outstanding record in the game in Britain. He will be more attentive to detail, he will go to matches, and he will understand the footballing culture here more than Trapattoni ever did.
Looking back on Trap’s tenure, former international striker Niall Quinn said that the Italian should be judged on the squad he leaves behind for his successor.
“He had at least five top players in Shay Given, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and John O’Shea, all in the prime of their career.
I think that stood to him and he was able to bring guys on alongside them, but did he really bring them on so that they could take over from that group in the future? I don’t think so.I’d worry about the new manager coming in more so than Giovanni’s attempts. I think what he has left us with isn’t great.
If Dunphy says he’s the man for the job then we should probably stay well clear
Great. More rubbish storys about Irish international. Why Dont the F.A.I just get fraud Moyes in . He should be a free agent soon enough.
I don’t like Moyes myself but he’ll still probably last longer than any chelsea manager has
As a Villa fan I can tell you that MON is not the answer. The last time he achieved anything of note was when he won the League Cup with Leicester City.
He had Henrik Larsson at Celtic and still managed to almost bankrupt them. Villa were one of the biggest spenders in Europe under MON, he never went higher than 6th and walked out a week before the season started.
He is passionate and will inspire players in the short term but like Trap he rarely changes his preferred XI., rarely changed tactics and has a poor record of developing young players.
My own opinion is that the most important decision would be to replace John Delaney.
I agree, as a Celtic supporter I think he was not all he was cracked up to be, I don’t think he will want the job anyway……
You’re a Celtic fan and you dont think Martin O’Neill was great? Christ man you have a short memory. Good luck getting to a European final ever again.
it was a pity trapp did not leave two month’s ago, we might have got slaven bilic. good english speaker and his team played great football,and would have been a lot cheeper.
Get f**ked eamon. “The Germans are a declining force in international football”
How could anyone take this clown seriously
He didn’t say they were a declining force in international football. He said the game is in decline worldwide, including in Germany. I’ve no idea what he means by that. Anyone any thoughts?
I think he means that the amount of technically gifted players coming through worldwide is in decline due to a number of factors such as increased emphasis on physicality and, in first world countries anyway, less participation among the young.
That’s would be my guess as to what he meant to.
Whoever the new manager is I hope they keep Manuala on.
I would really like Mick McCarthy back, he can work with players below premier league level and get the best from them.
We need to realise that the excitement is being coached out of football. With managers under so much pressure to get results they are afraid to take risks.
Professional coaching is now destroying the game, will we ever enjoy the likes of a young Duff? And wingers like Konchelskis, Giggs or McManaman?? Doubtful..
Coaching has now started to slowly strip player’s of their natural ability, making them all carbon copies of one another. What ever happened to attack the space and swing the ball in?? Even Shearer would struggle to score with the modern formations and tactics. He’d probably be a false 9 or on the bench haha but certainly not a target towering forward.
No more coaches, and jumpers for goalposts :) I miss the passion and skill.
It’s not gonna change now.
So Sad..
How long before you say O’Neil is crap Eamon ????
outstanding record,, have i missed something here