Allardyce lets fly over Trapattoni’s ‘disgusting’ Reid injury remarks
Last week Trapattoni suggested Reid would struggle to ever fully recover from the knee injury that has restricted him to just two Carling Cup appearances in the last 13 months.
Yesterday Allardyce called on Trapattoni to publicly apologise to Reid and Blackburn for his remarks.
The Rovers boss added that if the Italian failed to voluntarily do so the FAI should step in.
“I think it is disgraceful that a manager from an international side comes out with such drivel and such nonsense,” blasted Allardyce, whose side face Chelsea in today’s late kick-off.
“To actually wake up and see that written in the paper from the manager of his country is particularly disappointing, and I think he was completely out of order.
“He’s not talking correctly in terms of Steven’s injury. What he is saying is completely untrue and something he should apologise for.
“He has undermined us as a football club, undermined Steven as a player and he has really been very, very naughty in what he has said.
“I find it totally amazing he came out with what he did.”
Allardyce added: “Steven has had a long haul and he’s trying to resurrect his career and secure a new contract.
“There’s no player more honest than Steven and to be dealt that sort of a blow at this stage, when he’s not feeling the best, trying to come back from a big injury and picking up another little niggle, is very, very disrespectful to say the least. It’s disgusting.”
For his own part, former Millwall player Reid confessed to be being “amazed” at Trapattoni’s remarks, but insisted he was desperate to play for the veteran coach in the World Cup qualifying play-off against France next month.
Allardyce commended his man for tact but insisted he would not let the matter lie.
“That’s the mark of Steven for you,” he continued.
“Perhaps I haven’t got the same dignity as Steven. Perhaps I just speak it as I see it. Perhaps he’s more sensible than me. But I’m not happy with what Trapattoni said, I’m disgusted with it.
“I think his association should bring him to task. I think we as a football club should bring him to task and make him justify what he has said, but the thing is he can’t.
“Steven’s had a very difficult time and the last thing he needed was to sit down and read his international manager trying to write him off.”
Meanwhile Kevin Kilbane believes Sunderland midfielder Andy Reid may yet win an international recall.
Reid hasn’t figured in a Republic of Ireland squad since a disagreement with Trapattoni over a curfew the Italian imposed in the wake of the Republic’s World Cup qualifier against Georgia in Mainz last year.
However the Hull star thinks that Reid will be recalled if he maintains his current impressive form.
Kilbane said: “I think that if he continues to show how good he is at Sunderland then he’ll be given a chance again.”
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