Who in their right mind would want Staunton’s job?

AFTER the comprehensive defeat of the Republic of Ireland soccer side by Cyprus on Saturday, some pundits have been calling for the dismissal of manager Steve Staunton.

This was a pathetic display by highly-paid footballers who, individually and collectively, should hang their heads in shame.

They failed in every aspect of the game — positioning, marking, passing, heading and ball control. These are highly trained club professionals, the best available to Staunton who cannot be expected to weld them into a miracle team in the few days available to him.

On their display last Saturday, not one of them would get a place on the team that defeated them. We were lucky the score was held at 5-2.

Of course, the easy answer is to sack Steve Staunton and buy him out of his contract. Would he not be better off, rather than expecting international class performances from players who clearly have not got the quality or commitment for a grade some way above their current club levels?

As for a replacement manager who, in his right mind, would want to manage the team we saw on Saturday?

WB O’Flaherty

5 Wilton Villas

Glasheen

Cork

IN any other country, members of a national soccer team would put the nation’s interests first and not be at the whim of foreign clubs’ home matches.

Steve Staunton is not the problem. He must now get rid of any player, no matter how good, if he does not reside here or put in daily hours of training with other team members and fully and wholeheartedly represent Ireland.

It is time Staunton observed the talent .... in the GAA!

Keith Nolan

Caldragh

Carrick-on-Shannon

Co Leitrim

PERHAPS the least satisfactory aspect of the Taoiseach’s self-exculpation is his failure to explain why he supports an English team (Man United) rather than a local Irish team.

For a Dub from Drumcondra, Home Farm United would seem to be the obvious team to support. What would Home Farm not achieve with the patronage of the Taoiseach and real financial backing from the leaders of our business community? If we in Ireland are to succeed we need leadership and encouragement from the top. Dependence on England is the last thing we need, and in this respect I am glad the Taoiseach is to be found at Galway Races rather than at Ascot.

It is time for a regeneration of football in north Dublin (including Phibsboro). Then we may hope to travel to Cyprus in the future with more confidence.

Gerald Morgan

School of English

Trinity College

Dublin 2