King can plant seed for next boss

Aiden McGeady caused a few waves this week when he called the job of managing Ireland “a poisoned chalice”.

At a time when the FAI are routinely describing the vacant post as hugely attractive — headhunter Ruud Dokter recently even went so far as to report that “everyone wants to coach Ireland” — it was hardly a surprise that a senior player’s rather more sombre analysis would hog the headlines.

But, in truth, the Spartak Moscow man was only overstating the obvious, delivering a truism which applies almost universally in the world of football.