Sir, – Congratulations on your article by Dave McKechnie (Opinion, October 17th) on the new Irish team interim manager, Noel King. Am I the only one who believes that King deserves an apology from RTÉ for the disgraceful treatment he suffered at the hands of the panel after the two recent international matches?
The comments were a disgrace to Irish football and to a man who has given great service to the domestic game over a lifetime in football. King was in the job for less than three weeks during which he had to prepare a squad of players, which he had never worked with before, for the daunting task of playing Germany away from home.
The result in the end was disappointing given the chances we had and the unfortunate deflected first goal. People may not have agreed with his tactics but the result was far better than the massive home defeat under Giovanni Trapattoni.
The panel’s comments were very unfair, insulting and disrespectful to a man who had, by all accounts, put a huge amount of effort into preparing the team. The culmination of their insulting comments was Eamon Dunphy’s comment about Noel being “tactically illiterate”. This coming from a man who has no track record in football management. How long more do we have to listen to his condescending comments about John Giles and Liam Brady being great players. Yes we all know they were great players, but this does not mean they are always right with their comments. Eamon Dunphy’s constant mantra that “we are football people” is wearing a bit thin. The thousands of supporters, people who are involved in League of Ireland football and junior/school football are also “football people”. He does not have a monopoly on this status. King is the epitomy of a “football person” and deserves respect. – Yours, etc,
TERRY DOYLE,
River Forest,
Leixlip,
Co Kildare.