Eamon Dunphy. Four syllables which seem capable of whipping up more reaction in people than almost any other name in everyday use. Just as there is no place for fence-sitting where Mr Dunphy is concerned, so it is with those who read, watch or hear him.
Born into a working-class family in Drumcondra, Dublin, he began his soccer career as a schoolboy with Manchester United, going on to play in the lower divisions with York City, Millwall, Charlton Athletic and Reading.
After returning to home soil, Dunphy won an FAI Cup medal with Shamrock Rovers in 1977. He made numerous appearances for his country in its less heady days on the international scene. Only A Game, a diary-style description of a soccer professional's life in Division Two of English league football, written with Peter Ball, broke the mould of soccer books written by ghost authors in predictably cliched styles. He also wrote a controversial book on Matt Busby.
His move into sports journalism brought early success and recognition. His first break was with The Irish Times and he was also recruited for the original Sunday Tribune and remained with the paper when it was re-established by Vincent Browne.
After the two fell out, Dunphy was snapped up by the Sunday Independent on a salary reported to be around £70,000. Since then he has regularly offered his opinions on politics as well as sport and has maintained a strong following, despite some vitriolic pieces about prominent figures.
His persistent criticism of Jack Charlton upset many Irish soccer supporters, and during the 1990 World Cup finals T-shirts were to be seen depicting Dunphy as a fly being swatted by Big Jack. E for a short time, he remained one of the central pillars of the Sunday Independent.
He also enjoyed considerable commercial success with his biography of U2, Unforgettable Fire. At present he is co-presenting the Radio Ireland show The Last Word with Anne-Marie Hourihane.