Send in the clown for Dunphy error

He’s labelled Rio Ferdinand, Mario Balotelli, and Steve Staunton as clowns, but yesterday Eamon Dunphy became one himself.

Floppy hat, bow tie, and big red shoes to the fore, the journalist and broadcaster strolled up Grafton St in Dublin as part of his forfeit to bookmakers Betfair, following his — unfortunately incorrect — pre-tournament forecast that Ireland would qualify from their group at the European Championships.

“Well, it’s for charity,” he pointed out as his stroll came to an end at the corner of St Stephen’s Green. “You do the crime, you do the time.”

It might be difficult to take serious football points from a man dressed as Coco, but Eamon was quick to don his pundit’s cap when the issue of the future of the Irish team was brought up.

Questions have been asked about the future direction of the squad following the three-game losing streak in Poland, and Dunphy said manager Giovanni Trapattoni would have to change. “In the event we never really showed up,” he said. “Trapattoni has a contract and you can’t give him a contract in May and sack him in June.”

The chances of the Italian walking away from the Irish job are remote, but if he did walk off into the Tuscan sunset Dunphy believes Harry Redknapp — recently sacked by Tottenham Hotspur — should be a contender: “He’d be up for the challenge, I’m sure.”

At this point, one of a flurry of passersby stopped and asked Dunphy to pose for pictures, including a man whose young lad didn’t seem that keen to be held by a former Millwall player dressed as a clown.

“You’re just like a politician Eamon, kissing the babies!” cheered one wag. “I haven’t kissed him yet,” came the reply.

Dunphy’s views on the persistent jollity of the Irish fans in the face of footballing implosion also came to the fore during the tournament. Former captain Roy Keane invoked the ire of many when he suggested supporters shouldn’t be satisfied to go along for the sing-song every now and again.

“I have talked about ‘Plastic Paddies’ and that stuff but I think they [the supporters] are genuine fans,” Dunphy said. “The players have to take it seriously but the fans, for many of them it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I think they have been magnificent.”

Independent Waterford TD John Halligan popped up and posed for a picture yesterday, asking Dunphy not to hold his membership of the Dáil against him and pointing at him saying “best analyst”.

Who are we to argue — even if he does get it wrong every now and then.