"Roy's back, Mick's out - EXCLUSIVE" (Ireland On Sunday)

Bard · 20-10-2002 9:29pm #1

The back page of today's Ireland On Sunday ("the title") screams out the headline "ROY'S BACK, MICK'S OUT!" and has two articles - marked off as "EXCLUSIVE 1" and "EXCLUSIVE 2" - one claiming that the FAI are prepared to plea and beg for Keane's services "whether or not McCarthy wants him". His return is "of paramount importance" and the FAI are reported to be ready to tell him that they will "meet whatever demands he makes in terms of organisation of the international team."

One official said "Roy is vital to our chances of qualifying. We cannot afford to go on without him. It is crazy to even contemplate not having one of our greatest ever players in the team when the qualifiers resume in March. Whatever has to be done must be done. If that means that others have to depart to make way for Roy, so be it."

It is also reported that the majority of the players support this new apparent stance of the FAI - saying that it is vital that Roy Keane return to the national team.

The second article states that "McCarthy's advisors will contact the FAI early this week in a bid to open negotiations on a possible severance deal" but "look certain to be told politely but firmly 'sorry - no deal'" because, as one FAI official said, "we have no money - it's as simple as that."

The FAI are apparently going to have to sit tight and hope that McCarthy voluntarily vacates the post, because they simply cannot afford the compensation they would have to pay should they sack him.

Also, "it is understood that a number of influential FAI officials have already met David O'Leary following Wednesday night's defeat to Switzerland". O'Leary was at the match working with Sky Sports as a TV pundit and apparently met the officials afterwards. They "suggested [to him] that he be ready to take over in the event of McCarthy's departure." O'Leary made no solid commitment but it is believed that should the job become open he will make himself available.

As a final note, whatever way things go regarding the team management, Mick McCarthy has agreed to appear on RTÉ's Late Late Show on Friday week, November 1st.

Curiouser and curiouser...

mike65 · 20-10-2002 11:08pm

Wont comment on the speculation of a paper, but the Late Late will be worth seeing...!

Hopefully they'll remember to pack the studio with footie fans.

Mike.

Sand · 20-10-2002 11:08pm

Sounds a bit ...... well, sensationalised. Its practically telling us everything we want to hear without actually having anything solid- just conjecture.

Not that im not starting up the whole praying to god thing regarding Micks hoped for departure:x

Tellox · 20-10-2002 11:20pm

It is crazy to even contemplate not having one of our greatest ever players in the team when the qualifiers resume in March.

What, and its not crazy to go to the world cup qualifiers without him?

this is of course positive news, but it may be too late to come back... we'll have to win all 6 matchs to stand a chance at qualification..

Kone · 21-10-2002 9:59am

Looking forward to the late late! :eek:

Waylander · 21-10-2002 10:07am

It is not too late to qualify. Switzerland will definitely drop points and I think Russia will to so we can get at least second place. Just need to ensure we stop playing sh*t and win the rest of our games.

LizardKing · 21-10-2002 10:56am

It'll be tough but we may still do it .... also Stephen Carr is back playin for Spurs , so he'd be a good addition to defence / attack

yop · 21-10-2002 11:20am

Should be interesting alright, someone mentioned Houghton and Aldridge!! not really a good option to be honest

peeve · 21-10-2002 12:19pm

Originally posted by Bard

"it is understood that a number of influential FAI officials have already met David O'Leary following Wednesday night's defeat to Switzerland". O'Leary was at the match working with Sky Sports as a TV pundit and apparently met the officials afterwards. They "suggested [to him] that he be ready to take over in the event of McCarthy's departure." O'Leary made no solid commitment but it is believed that should the job become open he will make himself available.
[/B]

Not so sure that O' leary will be the next Irish manager..In yesterdays Sunday times, they claimed that O'leary had no chance because of an incident involving brian kerr,stephen mcphail and the Irish under 20s. Also,it said that the FAI didnt want a manager that criticises his own players...

Bateman · 21-10-2002 12:37pm

I's agree about the reluctance to having O Leary. He did his best to fúck up the careers of several Irish internationals, and even though he wasn't playing players, on several occasions, he would not release them for internaitonal duty.

Personally, I think it would be a nightmare for Irish soccer to have David "There is no place in modern football for a creative midfielder" O Dreary as manager. I would not go to any games at all, and I reckon several people feel the same way.

O Leary has made a name for himself by managing Leeds Utd. Just by managing them. He had a good run in the Champions Leage one year but apart from that spent 90 million and achieved NOTHING. He has no balls and no tactical nous. An extremely bad move from the FAI if they were to appoint him, as they claim they have no money and he would command a massive salary. If they are being honest (HA!) about not having any money, appointing a big name would undermine their supposed honesty. If they are broke, it might be Kerr. If they have money (where's all the WC money?) then maybe a big name, like Hodgson or Reid.

alanj1 · 21-10-2002 12:53pm

Originally posted by Bateman
If they have money (where's all the WC money?) then maybe a big name, like Hodgson or Reid.

The WC money was spent in Japan & Korea on piss ups, but thats what we were over there for wasn't it ?

Bateman · 21-10-2002 5:27pm

>The WC money was spent in Japan & Korea on piss ups

No doubt some of it was (the players were staying in a hotel next to a Guinness tent that opened through the night) but more of it was probably spent on new cars for the bastards.

Waylander · 21-10-2002 5:35pm

I think you are being harsh on Oleary. Venebals and Graham did worse then he did with the same squads. Most of that 90m Dave spent is still on the clubs balance sheet apart from Rio who they made a €15m profit on, so that money was hardly blown. Also his job as Leeds manager was not to cultivate upcoming Irish Talent it was to bring Leeds further, which I think he did.

But I do not think he wants the job yet, he will probably save till he is older.

alanj1 · 21-10-2002 5:37pm

The players had a few drinks but you should have seen the blazers in the FAI after the Germany match. The way they were buying rounds you know it wasn't their money. Still though, I'm sure they had a great holiday and thats the main thing.

Michael Collins · 21-10-2002 9:10pm

How can the FAI have no money, didn't they get 7 million from Sky? Isn't that why we can't watch the matches on RTE?

Doesn't anybody realise that Roy Keane won't come back unless McCarthy leaves, Roy's said so on many occasions. How can the FAI beg him to come back, unless they sack Mick...which means giving him money they appearently don't have. The only way would be if Mick McCarthy quit, and with what people have said about the man in the last few weeks I wouldn't be surprised if he did go, just to get away from the madness.

CCCP^ · 22-10-2002 1:10pm

I've just been to http://www.irelandonsunday.com, and I found couldnt find the article to which Bard refers to. Bard, was this the imminent weekend issue yes?

I think it's a joke that the FAI claim "we have no money - it's as simple as that."

After 3 World Cups(Plus all the advertising that went with it), a massive multi-million euro deal with sky, the FAI have nothing? WTF?

What the hell are you doing with it all? Jesus....

Waylander · 22-10-2002 2:04pm

In fairness now two of those world cups were in 90 & 94 with no finals in between. I think it can be justified that the money from them is gone, but I do not accept that the FAI are broke. They were talking about building their own stadium not so long ago.

BigDaddyKone · 22-10-2002 2:23pm

i would say they have the money to sack him. although those a articles sound like a load of bulls**t, normal tabloid speculation. and if you consider that newspaper a proper newspaper, well i don't know what to say

Bard · 22-10-2002 2:48pm

Originally posted by CCCP^
I've just been to http://www.irelandonsunday.com, and I found couldnt find the article to which Bard refers to. Bard, was this the imminent weekend issue yes?

Yes, my post above is a synopsis of the article on the back page of last Sundays print edition (20/10/02). I doubt they'd put it online quite that fast.

I think it's a joke that the FAI claim "we have no money - it's as simple as that."

In the spirit of journalism, they don't actually name their source and just call him 'an FAI official', so none of this can be regarded as totally concrete. I'm sure something will come to light when McCarthy returns from his week off.

Waylander said:

In fairness now two of those world cups were in 90 & 94 with no finals in between. I think it can be justified that the money from them is gone, but I do not accept that the FAI are broke. They were talking about building their own stadium not so long ago.

Er... yes... they were TALKING about it. The reason they didn't build it?... ahhhhh yes... they couldn't afford it. Bingo.

Bateman · 22-10-2002 5:26pm

>They were talking about building their own stadium not so long ago.

I think eircom were going to pay for most of it, and don't forget folks, the real reason that it was abandoned had more to with jumping into bed with Bertie than money. Never trust the government, even the FAI are not as bad as them.

Waylander · 23-10-2002 10:35am

They could not even have talked about it unless they had some of their own money. I know Eircom were going to finance alot of it but they must have had some cash of their own to invest. It was not built in the end because of the Bertie bowl bard not really because of Finances.

Bard · 23-10-2002 11:22am

Originally posted by Waylander
It was not built in the end because of the Bertie bowl bard not really because of Finances.

Not quite. It's a bit of both.

The cost of the stadium, which they hadn't properly estimated in the first place, kept spiralling upwards until eventually it became unaffordable. It was a controversial issue which was dividing the FAI down the middle (between those who believed they should ditch the project and those who believed they should press ahead with it). In March 2001, they, somewhat reluctantly, dropped it.

They had sold a lot of corporate boxes and seats and had to reimburse all those who had bought them with interest - a very costly exercise.

The 'Bertie Bowl' (or Stadium Ireland as it was also known) project was a way for the FAI to bail themselves out of a situation where they were floundering and stagnating. The government offered them a very good deal and they decided to ditch the Eircom Park plans (which were not financially viable) and go with Bertie.

Waylander · 23-10-2002 1:47pm

As I said I know they were not in a position to finance the whole thing themselves but they did have funds to part finance it, and the interest on repaying corporate boxes and the likes could not have cleared that out. Also there has been a world cup and plenty of lucrative home games since then as well as the Sky deal. My original statement was that I do not buy that the FAI were broke and i stand by that. If they are that poor heads should role in there.

Bard · 23-10-2002 1:51pm

ah, heads should just roll in there period.

Augmerson · 23-10-2002 3:20pm

Something to the tune of E500 Million was spent, without a single brick being laid at the Abbotstown site afaik. I cant fathom why peoples frustration and disappointment stop's at McCarthy's door, when cleary, FAI should recieve some just and overdue critiscm.

Now they do this complete U-turn on McCarthy. One thing is certain, that the FAI know which way public opinion swings, and they'll always be on the majoritys side. What a F**cking sell out on McCarthy..even if he isnt a great manager, he deserves some level of loyality.

As Bard said, this was only an individual comments, but it represents the way FAI are thinking at the moment.

Waylander · 24-10-2002 10:38am

They did not mind flying in the face of the majority over the sky deal but I do agree with what you are saying.

CCCP^ · 24-10-2002 1:06pm

Originally posted by Waylander
They did not mind flying in the face of the majority over the sky deal but I do agree with what you are saying.

E7 Million says it all Waylander.

"Roy's back, Mick's out - EXCLUSIVE" (Ireland On Sunday)

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