Dunphys comments

Keano_sli · 06-05-2005 5:02pm #1

Quote Of The Day
"Liverpool in the European Cup final? There goes the neighbourhood. Still, I suppose that's the price Uefa must pay for lowering the bar and enabling some of the cheaper teams to take part. There's always the risk that one of them will hop on a lucky wave and, grimly holding their Lotto ticket above the spray, ride all the way to the tournament's pointy end. Liverpool fans are famous for the selflessness of their perspective, so even they, I am sure, in the midst of their euphoria, will be feeling, with the rest of us, a twinge of sadness right now for AC Milan. Where else but the Champions League can you go to measure yourself against the best that Europe can offer at the time? So you've got to feel sorry for a side that gets all the way to the final, only to find, standing alongside them in the tunnel, not one of the best teams on the Continent, but not even the best team in Liverpool" - Eamon Dunphy, RTE football pundit and all-round nice chap

Didn't actually here what Dunphy had to say but this is the quote as seen on Football365 today. At least he is consistent, he really has no time for this Liverpool team.
I'd say if any Liverpool fans didn't already despise him they certainly will now!

_blank_ · 06-05-2005 5:03pm

The man is a legend, tbh.

Tells it as he sees it, no more, no less.

A bit of honesty is what we need.

super_furry · 06-05-2005 5:12pm

Eamonn Dunphy courting controversy? Never. His opinion never really mattered to me in the first place, but the day he cheered on Ireland's rivals in the World Cup finals was the day that I stopped listening to his hate-filled bile.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:13pm

dunphy is a knob, one minute hes praising liverpool ( he did after the juventus game)and next minute hes lashing us( after the chelsea match).Hes just annoyed because precious man Utd arent in the final. I admit liverpool were lucky to get to the final but why complain.Its a competition.
Hopefully in the summer we will buy the players that will ram his very words down dunphys and everyone who critises liverpool's throat.

fade2black · 06-05-2005 5:14pm

A good quote to be honest. I was amongst many people who were cheering Liverpool to success last week but I have to say that Liverpool fans, in general, are the most partisaned bunch I have ever come across. All last week, and when they played Juventus, we had fans from across the board coming on and wishing the pool the best of luck etc but that hand of encouragement (if you will) is rarely offered in return. There was certainly no scouse support in 99 when Man Utd won the Champions league - of course that's because we are bitter rivals - but that didn't prevent the show of support offered up by Man Utd fans this season to the pool.
I also think that Liverpool fans have a little habit of over romanticising everything, especially this opinion about the KOP as if God himself placed this terrace onto the earth as an alter at which to worship sublime football. The pool should be praised for the backs against the wall approach and not giving into to doubters but they are still a pretty average side with a little too much sentimental baggage.
That anfield post elsewhere on the forum almost made me sick by the way.

BrookieD · 06-05-2005 5:14pm

Dunphy is a prick, no more no less.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:14pm

this is the fool who sported cameroon colours when ireland played them.Hes a knob.

ziggy · 06-05-2005 5:16pm

This post has been deleted.

20 Times 20 Times · 06-05-2005 5:18pm

The man is a legend to be honest , tells it how it is , its very funny saying not the best team in liverpool classic

threebeards · 06-05-2005 5:20pm

Dunphy is an absolute legend - he says what others think but are afraid to say for fear of falling off the fence.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:20pm

liverpool will get to keep the cup if we win it. It aint our fault its EUFA they were the ones that changed the CL format.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:22pm

is this jealousy i hear.Would all this crap been going on if Man Utd or arsenal got to the final, heck no. Double standards.

whippet · 06-05-2005 5:23pm

'we had fans from across the board coming on and wishing the pool the best of luck etc but that hand of encouragement (if you will) is rarely offered in return.'

I believe alot of that support was anti-chelsea not really pro 'pool, due in no small part to the chelsea breaking up a cozy duopoly of the premiership.

As for dunphy, I listen to him for comic effect. He will always offer an opinion that suits and sells, tabloid journalism.

uberwolf · 06-05-2005 5:27pm

I laughed. I'm not sure Milan care too much who they're playing - the event overshadows how illustrious you perceive your opponents to be I'd imagine.

Keano_sli · 06-05-2005 5:30pm

fade2black wrote:

A good quote to be honest. I was amongst many people who were cheering Liverpool to success last week but I have to say that Liverpool fans, in general, are the most partisaned bunch I have ever come across. All last week, and when they played Juventus, we had fans from across the board coming on and wishing the pool the best of luck etc but that hand of encouragement (if you will) is rarely offered in return. There was certainly no scouse support in 99 when Man Utd won the Champions league - of course that's because we are bitter rivals - but that didn't prevent the show of support offered up by Man Utd fans this season to the pool.
I also think that Liverpool fans have a little habit of over romanticising everything, especially this opinion about the KOP as if God himself placed this terrace onto the earth as an alter at which to worship sublime football. The pool should be praised for the backs against the wall approach and not giving into to doubters but they are still a pretty average side with a little too much sentimental baggage.
That anfield post elsewhere on the forum almost made me sick by the way.

True very true, I used to be fairly impartial when it came ot commenting on other teams but throughtout the 90's I got nothing from a succession of Liverpool fans except, "United are cheats, United buy the refs, United are this that and the Other", Never "As a Liverpool fan who appreciates good football I have to say United play some great stuff"
so now I generally avoid Liverpool fans if possible I certainly will not be cheering them on. Just as an example a lot of them seemed to pile into the home of the Sligo Manchester United supporters club on Tuesday for the game when there are other Liverpool pubs they could have watched the game in.

Slash/ED · 06-05-2005 5:32pm

An element of truth in what he says though, allowing 4th place teams in any league into the competition makes a bit of a farce out of it when some mid table team ends up in the final and biggest match in club football. However, Liverpool have beaten Bayer, Juventus and Chelsea, it's not like they've had it easy and deserve all they've gotten.

fade2black · 06-05-2005 5:34pm

I don't think Everton or Man Utd (If they finish 3rd) should be allowed qualify to be honest (And I'm a Man U fan). In saying that, it can be argued that finishing 4th place in England is a far better achievment than winning the norwegian league..

segadreamcast · 06-05-2005 5:34pm

ziggy67 wrote:

I would agree that the bar has been lowered- only Champions should be allowed into the Champions League. If not at least change the fecking name!!

As a Liverpool fan, I have to say that this is also my stance. Champions from each league in Europe should be in the Champions league - regardless of the status or size of the league.

However, that isn't the case and - thus - it is like most other competitions in the sense that a surprise package can get to the end. Would Dunphy have been whining in this sense if Manchester United (again, shouldn't really be there if they aren't champions!) managed to clamour their way to the final? I think not.

(BTW - Just to satisfy some of you who say there are no 'honest' Liverpool fans. I'm a Liverpool fan - Rooney's goal a few weeks ago was stunning. They're a decent outfit, but nothing like they were - Ferguson should've stuck to his word and quit, in my opinion.

Slash/ED · 06-05-2005 5:36pm

fade2black wrote:

In saying that, it can be argued that finishing 4th place in England is a far better achievment than winning the norwegian league..

Yeah but it can also 'cheapen' the tournament when the elite final, the biggest game in club football, is contested by a mid table team in England. They leave the door open for that when they let 4th place sides in and it can take away from the tournament. But as I said, you can't argue with the teams Liverpool have beaten to make it this far.

fade2black · 06-05-2005 5:39pm

Slash/ED wrote:

Yeah but it can also 'cheapen' the tournament when the elite final, the biggest game in club football, is contested by a mid table team in England. They leave the door open for that when they let 4th place sides in and it can take away from the tournament. But as I said, you can't argue with the teams Liverpool have beaten to make it this far.

True. Every dog has its day.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:41pm

mid table my arse.We will have a good team come next season as benitez is the man.We kept juventus and chelsea quiet on 4 ocasions.
The reason why 4th gets CL is MONEY.

fade2black · 06-05-2005 5:43pm

To be honest I think Benitez is the man to set ye alight, he's my favourite manager in the premier league at the moment and I would like to see liverpool back up to a challenging spot in the league - add a bit of weight to the old rivalries.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:45pm

cheers man, thought i was the only one defended liverpool.I admit we are dire to watch right now but we will get there in the ned under benitez.

Slash/ED · 06-05-2005 5:45pm

galwaydude wrote:

mid table my arse.We will have a good team come next season as benitez is the man.We kept juventus and chelsea quiet on 4 ocasions.
The reason why 4th gets CL is MONEY.

But you ARE a mid table team this season, whatever about come next season.

eirebhoy · 06-05-2005 5:46pm

galwaydude wrote:

this is the fool who sported cameroon colours when ireland played them.Hes a knob.

Exactly. I like to see Chelsea succeed when Duff is playing and not do so well when he's not. No matter how much I loved a player I would not hope my own country (or favourite team) lost a match because he wasn't bloody playing. Dunphy is a dickhead and I will never be able to take him seriously.

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:47pm

when is 5th mid table then.

redspider · 06-05-2005 5:47pm

Well Dunphy's relationship with Liverpool is a bit like Ian Paisley's with Sinn Fein. Dunphy has made his trade as an antagonist, going against the flow and popularity, and probably who better to try and speak against but Liverpool in the 1980's. He always seems to make reference to the Liverpool fans and the fans that he knows. He has grown his journo trade on being controversial, not on being accurate! He admits himself that journalism of his type can be done by anybody without any skills, all they need is a gob and to be opinionated. He has always held an underlying hatred of Liverpool and is in this case just throwing another wind-up. Anyone that knows Eamon doesn't place any value on what he says anymore when he goes for the wind-up but people do listen to him for entertainment and to usually comment afterwards - "wanker" and then to rub their hands with glee when he gets things wrong.

Another recent Dunphy quote at half-time in the 1st leg between Chelsea and Liverpool: "If Liverpool think they can get away without letting a goal in this match, they are mistaken. No chance. No chance." Of course he got it wrong.

When Liverpool or Man U are concerned, or indeed Ireland for that matter, he usually lets his emotional side get the better of his football analytical skills. He does have some analytical skills, I will grant him that, and he can be good at times. But he's much more accurate analysing a match such as Norwich v Southampton rather than Liverpool v Man U.

I wouldn't miss watching his analysis though so that I can stick it up his hole afterwards! It suits Liverpool hans if he is backing AC Milan, he has got every prediction wrong so far. Olympiacos, Leverkusen, Juve, Chelsea.

Roll on May 25th, I'll have the video recording so I can go over the match in detail as well as the "expert panel".

In terms of whether the CL is diluted with lower teams getting into it, there have been other posts/threads on that. Note that Villa when they won it ended up 11th that same season, and usually the team that wins it does not win the league the same year and does not finish in the top-4. eg: Forest

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 5:49pm

chelsea would be in the final if duff played eirebhoy

PHB · 06-05-2005 5:52pm

That may be so, but what about Alonso? Or Kirkland? Or cisse?

Injuries are part of the game, and never ever a valid excuse.
Dunphey tells it like he sees it and I respect him.
That said, I'm sure milan won't treat them as lightly as Dunphy does, and I think we know who is probably right in that regard, the manager who takes a team to the CL final

galwaydude · 06-05-2005 6:12pm

cant wait for the final now. I better not miss it as will be in the US that day.
19 days and counting

sleepwalker · 06-05-2005 6:27pm

i suppose he would prefer man utd there even though there not the best team in england

there is an element of truth to his comments of course but it is a cup competition for god sake ! and he was full of praise for liverpool after the juve game so im suprised to see him getting so stuck into them

p.pete · 06-05-2005 6:57pm

galwaydude wrote:

when is 5th mid table then.

One way of looking at it

first place = 88pts
last place = 30pts

total = 118pts

midpoint = 59pts

Liverpool have 55pts so we're below the halfway mark between top and bottom in the league - tbh, based on league performance neither Liverpool or Everton deserve to be in the CL.

The Muppet · 06-05-2005 8:19pm

So you've got to feel sorry for a side that gets all the way to the final, only to find, standing alongside them in the tunnel, not one of the best teams on the Continent, but not even the best team in Liverpool" - Eamon Dunphy,

LOL Classic Dunphy. Love him or loathe him you got to hand it to him, he tells it as it is.

Bungalow Bill · 06-05-2005 8:29pm

eirebhoy wrote:

Exactly. I like to see Chelsea succeed when Duff is playing and not do so well when he's not. No matter how much I loved a player I would not hope my own country (or favourite team) lost a match because he wasn't bloody playing. Dunphy is a dickhead and I will never be able to take him seriously.

What exactly happened there? I can only vaguely remember it.

jesus_thats_gre · 06-05-2005 8:32pm

Eh Everton are not the best team in Liverpool..

If you go purely on the league, yes they are placed higher, thus are arguably better..

However, if you account of the fact that Liverpool have played close to 15 more games than Everton this season, it is no longer the case.`

They had/have two very successful cup runs in the Carling Cup and Champions League respectively. If you allocate points (3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for loss) to these matches and calculate the average points they collect from each game, I wonder would it be better or worse than Everton's haul in all compeitions also.

Its a relatively fair way of working it out. Especially considering the record that Liverpool have in games directly following their CL matches..

As has been argued before.. Who is the better team..

4th place in the PL

or

5th place in the PL and finalists of the CL and League Cup

People like Dunphy are going to have to accept that the CL allows up to 4 entrants from participating countries. If a team qualifies for the tournament it is because the tournament organisers determined that a 4th placed team are essentially good enough to compete in or even win the tournament.

I agree too, only the top 2 teams should be allowed in to the CL.

jank · 06-05-2005 8:43pm

What he is saying is true though. This liverpool team is very very average and liverpool fans would say that its the weakest liverpool team ever to play in the CL final!

LegacyUser · 06-05-2005 9:27pm

Big fan of Rafa Benitez. I really like him as a manager and as a person. He seems really nice to be honest and very intelligent.

eirebhoy · 06-05-2005 9:55pm

Bungalow Bill wrote:

What exactly happened there? I can only vaguely remember it.

He was cheering on Cameroon when we played them. He said it was because the FAI were getting away with everything because we were doing well in the WC's. He said, if it took a poor tournament to finally put the focus on the FAI he'd gladly pay that. Its all lies though, he wanted Ireland to lose over the Keane fiasco.

L5 · 06-05-2005 9:56pm

eirebhoy wrote:

He was cheering on Cameroon when we played them. He said it was because the FAI were getting away with everything because we were doing well in the WC's. He said, if it took a poor tournament to finally put the focus on the FAI he'd gladly pay that. Its all lies though, he wanted Ireland to lose over the Keane fiasco.

i remember that, was pretty disgraceful.

Thanx 4 The Fish · 06-05-2005 10:02pm

Or there is another way of working it which would be 20/3.

Top 6 = Top Table
Next 6/7 = Mid Table
Rest Bottom of the table.

Davey Devil · 06-05-2005 11:56pm

Dunphy is talking through his arse again, the guy is a dipso. I'm sure Milan will be disgusted to be lining up against one of the biggest clubs in the history of European football. :rolleyes:

Sure Liverpool might not be the team they were in the 80's but they have been fantastic in this years CL. I can't see why everyone is giving them so much stick. They play a really tight game but the Italians have been doing that forever but they get praised for being masters at it.

Fair play to the Pool hope they go and win it.

Jivin Turkey · 07-05-2005 1:18am

Dunphy while extremely entertaining is a total moron. While I cannot vouch for this personally, I was informed that he came out with this classic the other night while comparing Fergusons and Mourinhos achievements......

"Alex Ferguson has had more hot dinners than Jose Mourinho has had European semi finals"

Congrats Eamon. Please can someone confirm/deny this for me.

Pigman II · 07-05-2005 1:22am

I wonder will Dunphy be equally scathing if his mate Brian Kerr wins the World Cup next year considering we'll probably be one of the 'cheaper teams' there (and probably have the same odds of winning that Liverpool did this years CL last august).

jesus_thats_gre · 07-05-2005 1:28am

Pigman II wrote:

I wonder will Dunphy be equally scathing if his mate Brian Kerr wins the World Cup next year considering we'll probably be one of the 'cheaper teams' there (and probably have the same odds of winning that Liverpool did this years CL last august).

No doubt..

wheres me jumpa · 07-05-2005 10:56am

i do enjoy dunphys comments but one thing i have noticed this season is that he changes his mind so much.

example

before the man united ac milan game he was saying united had it all and would take some beating in this game. immediately after he was on milans side saying united were very poor, and deservedly so.

he then proceeded to talk milan up and after the psv game said they were no great team.

he also chopped and changed about his opinion on liverpool by one night slating the entire team and after the chelsea game saying they had great spirit.

however his partnership with giles is fantastic. its like ned flanders and simon cowell!

Töpher · 07-05-2005 11:11am

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

Or there is another way of working it which would be 20/3.

Top 6 = Top Table
Next 6/7 = Mid Table
Rest Bottom of the table.

But 6th is hardly a "top" team

1-4: Top 20%
5-16: Mid 60%
17-20: Bottom 20%

If you're not in the top 20%, you're not a top team tbh!

Likewise at the bottom, if you're in 16th you're not the worst (and subsequently maintain your right to play Premiership football next season, although you may be the worst remaining team (except for 17th, who are just lucky!

)! By that logic, Liverpool are the best non-top team being in 5th and all...

)

Drag00n79 · 07-05-2005 11:41am

To be honest, I think this is just turning into kick Liverpool thread. Most Manu and Arsenal fans were not anti-Liverpool before the Chelsea match because they hated Chelsea more than Liverpool. Now that Liverpool have won and made it to the Champions League Final, it doesn't really surprise me that they have moved onto begrudge Liverpool.

jesus_thats_gre · 07-05-2005 12:04pm

Einst&#252 wrote: »

But 6th is hardly a "top" team

1-4: Top 20%
5-16: Mid 60%
17-20: Bottom 20%

If you're not in the top 20%, you're not a top team tbh!
Likewise at the bottom, if you're in 16th you're not the worst (and subsequently maintain your right to play Premiership football next season, although you may be the worst remaining team (except for 17th, who are just lucky! )! By that logic, Liverpool are the best non-top team being in 5th and all... )

Yes but you are not a mid table team either

LegacyUser · 07-05-2005 2:45pm

Shamrok wrote:

To be honest, I think this is just turning into kick Liverpool thread. Most Manu and Arsenal fans were not anti-Liverpool before the Chelsea match because they hated Chelsea more than Liverpool. Now that Liverpool have won and made it to the Champions League Final, it doesn't really surprise me that they have moved onto begrudge Liverpool.

What are you talking about? I am a United fan and if anything I like Liverpool far more than I ever did because 1) your coach and 2) you are in the finals and deserved to get there.

Drag00n79 · 07-05-2005 2:48pm

cheesedude wrote:

What are you talking about? I am a United fan and if anything I like Liverpool far more than I ever did because 1) your coach and 2) you are in the finals and deserved to get there.

Reread it — "most manU fans".

smemon · 07-05-2005 7:59pm

Shamrok wrote:

To be honest, I think this is just turning into kick Liverpool thread. Most Manu and Arsenal fans were not anti-Liverpool before the Chelsea match because they hated Chelsea more than Liverpool. Now that Liverpool have won and made it to the Champions League Final, it doesn't really surprise me that they have moved onto begrudge Liverpool.

that was exatcly my plan in the first place, and i said so long before the chelsea/pool match. i wanted chelsea to lose 1st then liverpool to go into the final cause i know they probably wont win it and stand a better chance of losing in the final than chelsea would have.

chelsea are better side than liverpool, more consistent and could beat milan. with liverpool they could get hammered 3-0 or nick a 1-0 defensive victory. you dont know what you get but most of the time you'll get something in between. milan are the most reliable team in europe for results atm, sort of like chelsea only better.

but if liverpool do win, fair play. id prefer them than chelsea for the good of football and love it would bring into the game as liverpool fans would appreciate it more than chelsea fans, even ac fans for that. but with the red devil on my heart i have to go for milan.

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