AUDIO: Pundit John Giles offered to do Scotland game ‘for no extra payment’
Public outcry has abounded since news emerged that the veteran pundit won’t be joining his Three Amigos partners — Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady — as the station’s expert panel for Scotland’s visit to meet Ireland at Aviva Stadium. It seems the station’s citing of “scheduling reasons” as justification for Giles’s absence to facilitate Richie Sadlier’s presence in studio has been dismissed by the 74-year-old.
Moreover, the former Ireland player-manager — a senior analyst since starting with RTÉ for the 1986 World Cup — is particularly aggrieved at how the “axing” was handled by Montrose senior management.
“I’m disappointed and can’t go along with the reason of the contractual situation,” Giles told Newstalk 106s Off the Ball programme.
“There is a contractual situation where I am contracted to do a certain amount of matches and I have fulfilled the obligation, but we’ve always been very, very flexible on matches that we’ve done and we could do more for less.
“This game against Scotland is one of the most important Ireland games for many years. I made it clear that I could do this extra match for no extra payment.
“Ryle Nugent is the head of sport in RTÉ, so you’ll have to ask him why I’m not on the panel.
“Any information, I got from Eugene O’Neill, who is the producer of our particular programme, I’ve never spoken to the head of sport directly about this. I would have liked to have got a call from the head of sport to explain to me what the situation is.”
Giles added that his allies Brady and Dunphy are unimpressed by the decision, with the latter pleading with the station hierarchy to reconsider.
“I think Eamon did make a case to Ryle Nugent about getting me on Saturday. I had to stress to Eamon that I’m not seeking this. It’s like going to a party that you’re not invited to.
“Eamon and Liam certainly wanted me to do it but it’s not their decision.
“I’m contracted with RTÉ up to August. I’m not actually contracted at the moment to the rest of the campaign, so I don’t know what the future holds.
“I feel okay and enjoy doing what I’m doing. I feel I’m capable of doing what I’m doing. I’m 74 now, I’m knocking on a bit, but I don’t believe in the age situation.”
Earlier, an RTE spokesperson said Giles “has not been dropped” as a panellist, explaining that he “will not be on the panel for Saturday’s coverage of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland, but this is quite normal, as the panel changes regularly for editorial, scheduling and availability reasons”.
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