Unflappable Trap ‘doesn’t know’ TV critic Dunphy

WHEREAS Stephen Hunt launched the verbal equivalent of a two-footed tackle on Eamon Dunphy on Monday, Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday declined to rise to the bait of the RTÉ pundit’s lacerating criticism of the Irish performance against Italy – although, in what might be interpreted as a more subtle riposte, the manager said that he didn’t know “this reporter.”

Asked if he shared Hunt’s anger, the manager replied: “I was a player and we have to respect your opinion. I don’t know this reporter. It’s his opinion. But I had many, many other opinions from other reporters – including Italian reporters – saying that Ireland played well. I know 40 years the newspapers, thank God. We must accept opinions but many fans in Croke Park were happy.

“He’s your colleague. I don’t know your colleague. I wish to speak with him to see if he knows international football and what he thinks about this or other games. England losing against Ukraine, for example. If it was a boxing match the English would have won 70-30. But this time Ukraine won. Why? The little situation. You want the spectacle? (When I coached), sure, (you got it with) England, Celtic, Manchester, Liverpool. But the result? Milan, Juventus. That is the life, that is what happens in football. There is poetry and there are novels.”

Later in his press conference, the Italian returned to the subject of media criticism.

“There are two different types of criticism,” he reflected, “one which is balanced and which we accept but on the other side it can be nasty and cynical at times. I’m not necessarily talking about Irish or Italian media now, although my main experience is in Italy.

“I am 50 years in football and I know the good reporters and I understand that you must all have your opinions but I know also that some of your colleagues can be nasty for the sake of being nasty. It’s not a question of ‘you did play well’ or ‘you didn’t play well’ – that’s opinion, that’s fine. But at times you have this subtle, sneaky criticism. But you (the media) have your different characters and personalities, the same as players.”

Meanwhile, Eamon Dunphy yesterday responded to Stephen Hunt branding him, in turn, “a skinny rat”.

Said Dunphy: “I’ve been a football pundit for 31 years and if I was doing it for a reaction I would have been found out a long time ago. One thing I’ve learned is that you can’t fool the Irish public. Stephen Hunt isn’t used to passionate commentary as he lives in England.”