'I wouldn’t listen to a word Matt was saying': Martin O'Neill reignites feud with Doherty

Doherty's frank interview with Sky Sports after Wolves' 10th consecutive defeat seemed to be welcomed by supporters of the club

Martin O'Neill and Matt Doherty had a frosty relationship during their time with Ireland. Pic: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Martin O’Neill has reignited his feud with Matt Doherty, dismissing the player's criticism of relegation-bound Wolves as an act of ‘self-absolvement’.

Doherty’s outspoken reaction to Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Brentford — asking if he and his teammates wanted to be recalled as ‘cowards’ for giving up the fight – was discussed during O’Neill’s latest talkSPORT appearance on Monday morning.

The pair endured a frosty relationship during their time in the Ireland camp.

Doherty claimed he was called a ‘tosser’ by O’Neill arising from a radio interview he gave on the day the manager and his assistant Roy Keane were sacked by the FAI in 2018.

“It wasn't a nice phone call at all and he hung up on me,” Doherty recalled.

The 33-year-old’s frank reflections following a 10th straight league defeat for rock-bottom Wolves seemed to be welcomed by their fanbase but not O’Neill.

“If I was the Wolves manager Rob Edwards, I wouldn’t listen to a word Matt was saying,” said the Derryman, back on punditry duties following a caretaker spell in charge of Celtic.

“Matt is a brilliant talker, a really good talker, but he’d want to do a bit more playing.

“Personally speaking, that’s self-absolvement.

“When you do plenty of that as a player, generally speaking, there’s not that much behind it all. Matt is a very good talker but wants to do more playing.” 

Presenter Jim White, taken aback by the outburst, followed up with a clarification request: ‘Wow, you don’t believe a word he’s saying’? he asked.

O’Neill replied: “Listen, you’re a player who has picked up two points from 17 games. Two points out of 51. That’s not good enough.

“Matt hasn’t played all the games but he has been captain of the side. Take responsibility and genuinely do look in the mirror. Players can do a lot of talking but if you want to talk the talk, you must walk the walk.” 

White then touched on the history of tension between the pair.

“Do I get the impression you’ve had the odd bad experience with Doherty?,” he pondered.

“Not necessarily but the answer is yes,” added O’Neill.

“What’s the alternative to calling yourself a coward? Like, is it great? Wolves are not a good side at this minute and that’s part of that.” 

Doherty won his first four caps under O’Neill and has been stuck on 53 since being ruled out of the Ireland squad for the October and November windows with a wrist injury.