Stan’s reign at an end

STEVE STAUNTON’S reign as Republic of Ireland manager came to an end following a meeting with FAI chiefs in Dublin early this morning.

An era which had begun in the opulent surroundings of the Mansion House came to a head in a Dublin hotel after an emergency meeting of the FAI Board of Management was convened to discuss the manager’s position less than two years into his management term’s scheduled four-year run.

Staunton was invited by the FAI to address the Board of Management last night and offer his own assessment of his managerial reign. It is believed that Staunton later talked by telephone with Bobby Robson.

For Staunton to be given the opportunity to present his own case in person before the board was significant. When the FAI opted not to renew Brian Kerr’s contract, Staunton’s predecessor in the Irish job was unhappy at not being given the chance to address the board in the same way.

After the meeting with Staunton concluded, the Board continued with their deliberations before finally arriving at their decision.

It was widely expected that the FAI would terminate Staunton’s contract before hammering out a severance package with the manager.

Staunton’s 21 months and 17 games in charge had been blighted by a number of calamitous results, including the 2-5 hiding in Nicosia, the narrow 2-1 win in San Marino and the 1-1 draw at Croke Park in Dublin which was greeted by widespread booing and scathing reviews.

In his only public interview following that game, FAI Chief Executive John Delaney made no attempt to back the embattled manager, instead stressing the collective responsibility of the three-man sub-committee which had appointed him.

However, Delaney had been Staunton’s most vocal champion up until then, even assuring Vincent Browne on RTÉ radio soon after the manager’s appointment, that he would stay in his job even if Ireland failed to qualify for the European Championship finals.

“I can assure you of one thing,” he said, “Steve Staunton will see his four years through.”

Last night, that assessment looked to be two years too long.

Meanwhile, Brian Kerr had critical observations to make on the latest crisis at the summit of Irish football.

Said the former national manager: “What I have a problem with is the authority that those people (in the FAI) have to make that decision and the qualifications or lack of, that those 10 people have in making such crucial decisions on a regular basis.

“If they make a decision to remove this manager then they’ll still be in the position to appoint another manager and I would question the opinion of those people.”

Referring to the sub-committee which had head-hunted Steve Staunton, Kerr said: “The so-called three wise men — Michael Cody, John Delaney and David Blood — should not be allowed any part in the selection process.”