John Caulfield has enough credit in the bank... and respect

Swapping the hoops and green shirts of Páirc Uí Chaoimh from earlier in the day for uniform black tie in City Hall later that night, it was quite the parade of football luminaries who took to the stage to pay further tribute to Liam Miller at the gala dinner in his honour last Tuesday.

Among them were the two Keanes, Roy and Robbie, Martin O’Neill, Denis Irwin, John O’Shea and Gary Neville, with interviewer Trevor Welch taking the opportunity to throw a few other football-related questions their way. So when it came time to speak to John Caulfield, it was probably inevitable that the Cork City manager would find himself having to field one about how his team’s title challenge has fizzled out in recent weeks.

“Well, Trevor, I came out tonight to enjoy the night,” Caulfield began with a rueful smile, his note-perfect response eliciting warm applause and sympathetic laughter. Then he got serious.