Matt Doherty recalls heated phone exchange with former Ireland boss O'Neill

Matt Doherty claims he had a heated telephone conversation with Martin O’Neill after the latter’s reign as Ireland manager came to an end.

O’Neill rang Doherty after the Wolves man had criticised his coaching methods on a radio show.

In that interview, Doherty had alleged: “When you were away with Ireland, you didn’t really have that much coaching. It was more of five-a-side or 11-a-side game, and that would be it.

“The day before a game you would do a few set-pieces here and there and then go into the game. You are kind of thinking to yourself, ‘what shape are we going to play?’ You’d have a few players thinking ‘we’ll play this shape’, or someone else thinking something else.

Spoke to @mattdoherty20 about confidence, rejection, alcohol and Ireland, and some of the differences between Mick McCarthy & Martin O Neill. Out now on @SecondCaptains 🌍🎙 https://t.co/SrDr5bnaW6 pic.twitter.com/1gJ0kk1u58

— Richie Sadlier (@RichieSadlier) October 2, 2019

“You can’t have that, especially in international football, people not really sure on what their role is the next day.”

Speaking to Richie Sadlier on Second Captain’s ‘The Player’s Chair’, Doherty — who admitted he’d never “clicked” with the former Ireland manager — has now put forward his version of the call he says he subsequently received from an aggrieved O’Neill.

“The call was not a good call,” he says.

“I don’t know if I should say too much with the risk of getting another call from him. I don’t (want to) have to go through that again. Like, if you were to listen to that, you’d be shocked.

It wasn’t a pleasant call between two human beings at all. Basically he called me and was like, ‘a friend of mine heard you on the radio.’ I answered the phone and I didn’t know it was him. I was shocked when I realised it was him.

“I could go into more detail. I just don’t want to bring it all back up again when it’s totally gone now. It wasn’t a nice phone call at all.”

Doherty also spoke about the events last week which led to the career-threatening knee injury sustained by his Ireland colleague Richard Keogh in a car crash, following which two of Keogh’s Derby County team mates were charged with drink-driving.

“I was surprised, and concerned to find out if he was alright,” said Doherty. “I have concern but then you’re looking at it and thinking it was completely avoidable for one. There was no need.

“Obviously you’re sympathetic but it was a really avoidable situation and it’s got very messy now.”