Sports digest : Venables Lashes Out at Dunphy

Irish Voice Sport

Sports digest : Venables Lashes Out at Dunphy

March 19, 2008

By Cathal Dervan

TERRY Venables has launched a blistering attack on pundit Eamon Dunphy, the man he believes cost him the Ireland job. The former England boss has finally broken his silence on the televised Dunphy rant on RTE last November that he is convinced turned the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) against him.

Venables has also claimed that the FAI is afraid of Dunphy and strung him along during the infamous process right until the death.

He has also questioned why FAI Chief Executive John Delaney was unable to appoint a manager on his own and claimed that the whole process was just ‘decoration’.

Venables has even revealed that kingmaker Don Givens was late for his pre-Christmas interview, shortly after Dunphy’s hatchet job.

“I have watched what Eamon Dunphy said about me on RTE last November and I have no choice but to put the record straight,” Venables told the Sunday Independent.

“I cannot believe that the Irish people are listening to this man. How can someone with his record attack my character? He was reckless and I cannot let him get away with it.

“I have always believed that if you don’t say no to something then you only encourage it, and I cannot allow those claims to go uncontested.”

Dunphy used RTE’s Champions League program on November 27 to belittle Venables’ career before he claimed that the FAI would be “a laughing stock” if they appointed Venables.

He openly criticized Venables’ record as a manager with Leeds, Middlesbrough, Barcelona and England among others, and even claimed that the FAI’s selection committee, which then consisted of Givens and Don Howe, was “not independent, not transparent and not right.”

An angry Venables has hit back at Dunphy and claimed, “How dare he give an opinion on me and put out claims as facts when he has clearly not even checked his facts.

“There was a definite pattern to Dunphy’s attack on me. He knew he had a job to do for the boys who didn’t want me, he had to get in there and try hysterical stuff, and I am certain that something happened that turned the FAI against me which maybe he started.

“There was a definite change of heart towards me within the FAI, even though they sent a message to me late on to hang in there where I smelt it was going against me.

“Amazingly I think everyone is afraid of (Dunphy). He was just so reckless on RTE, but they don’t want to upset him and they let him get away with it.

“I don’t have a problem with the truth, but I do have a problem with what Dunphy said about me on RTE.

“Dunphy told the FAI they had already made a mistake even considering me, and unless those people are particularly strong they will be frightened off by criticism.

“Then again if they are not strong enough to take their own decisions maybe I am better off not being there.”

O’Shea’s Approval

MANCHESTER United defender John O’Shea is the latest Irish player to welcome the arrival of Giovanni Trapattoni as his new boss, and the Waterford-born star insists he is looking forward to working with Liam Brady as well.

“It’s all part and parcel of being involved with football,” O’Shea said when asked how the squad will feel about working with Brady when he hangs up his microphone as a television pundit with RTE.

“Without a doubt it’s got to be a good thing, bringing him in. He was such a talented player himself and has proven his success with Arsenal bringing through talented players. His experience is vital and it’ll be very important, his connection, knowing all the players and helping out the new coaching team.”

United boss Alex Ferguson and teammate Owen Hargreaves have both enthused about Trapattoni’s appointment in discussions with O’Shea.

“Most of the lads are feeling the same now. We can’t wait to get in and see what the whole set-up is about and see how they get their ideas across,” O’Shea said.

“For a man to come to Ireland when he’s had such success throughout his career, well, obviously he wants to achieve more and see what he can do with the team.

“There’s bit of nerves about meeting up now as we will in May, but that’s the exciting part. It’s like a new manager coming into a club, you have to prove yourself again and that can only be good.”

Mogul’s Move

IRISH property mogul Anthony McMullen has turned his sights to English League Two side Rotherham United as he looks to get back into football.

The 26-year-old millionaire’s company McMullen Properties is in talks to save the Yorkshire side from administration.

They have ditched plans to meet with officials from troubled Scottish club Gretna and will instead turn their attentions to England after Longford fans objected to Roddy Collins’ involvement in a proposed deal.

McMullen withdrew an offer to buy Longford Town on Friday and told Star Sunday that the deal will only be resurrected if Collins is on board.

Now the pair are to fly to England on to meet with Rotherham chairman Denis Coleman whose side, managed by Mark Robins, beat Chesterfield 2-1 on Saturday.

“We are going over to have further talks with the chairman and to have a look at the ground and the facilities with a view to getting involved,” said former Ireland under 16 ‘keeper McMullen.

“The club is close to administration, but we are interested in McMullen Properties taking an interest in Rotherham and we will see how we get on in England on Tuesday.”

Longford officials have tried to resurrect their deal, with McMullen to sell 51% of the club, but only if Collins is not involved.

“That is just not going to happen. Roddy and I are a team and if Longford want my money they have to accept Roddy as part of my team,” confirmed McMullen.

Celtic Canceled

CELTIC fans were left frustrated on Saturday when their Premier League game against Motherwell was cancelled at the last minute due to a waterlogged pitch – the same pitch that is due to host their game against troubled Gretna this weekend.

The Scottish champions now face a fixtures backlog, and a Celtic spokesperson said, “This is extremely disappointing news and once again has caused massive inconvenience for those supporters who travel long distances to matches.

“There is clearly a fundamental issue with this pitch, and we would have obvious concerns about future matches taking place at Fir Park, including next Sunday’s scheduled league tie with Gretna.”

Meanwhile, Celtic and Motherwell have confirmed that they will stage a fundraising tribute match for the late Phil O’Donnell at Parkhead at the end of the season.

O’Donnell, who played for both clubs, died of heart failure at the age of 35 after collapsing during a Clydesdale Bank Premier League match against Dundee United at Fir Park on December 29.

The game will take place in May when members of Motherwell’s 1991 Scottish Cup-winning side will play a side comprised of Celtic’s 1998 SPL-winning team.

Celtic have also confirmed that they are to unveil a statue in honor of the late Jimmy Johnstone, voted their best player ever, at Parkhead in August.

Cup Chase

SUNDERLAND’S Cork-born striker Roy O’Donovan believes the club will have to play through eight cup finals between now and the end of the season as they bid to avoid relegation having lost again on Saturday, this time 1-0 at home to Chelsea.

Former Cork City star O’Donovan said, “What happened against Chelsea has been the story of our season. We have been the nearly men so far. But starting from next week, there are eight massive games left and we need as many points as we can get.

“We have got eight games left, eight cup finals as the cliché goes, and I want to be involved as much as I can. We were a bounce of the ball away from winning the game on Saturday, just something going our way, but it wasn’t to be.

“But we need to forget about all the games that have gone before and start afresh next week against Aston Villa away in a tough game. We need to start getting results.

“I know we are not doing too badly and we are not in the bottom three at the moment, but we deserve more than having to fight against relegation because we have good players in the dressingroom.”

Pat’s Wins

ST. Patrick’s Athletic maintained their impressive early season form with a 1-0 win at Bohemians last Friday night when Keith Fahey scored a wonder goal in a game that saw three players sent off, two from Pats and one from Bohs.

Home player Killian Brennan and opposition stars Dessie Byrne and Barry Ryan all saw red in the second half as Pats made it two wins from two games.

“Overall I think we created the best clear cut chances,” McDonnell said after the game. “We said from the start that we didn’t want to concede a goal and obviously we wanted to get something from the game. From start to finish our work rate was fantastic all over the pitch.

“They came at us for 10-15 minutes, but I think we created more chances. To come over here and keep a clean sheet and take the three points, it’s a great night’s work. To come here and get something would have been good, but to get three points is fantastic.”

Keane’s Fury

SPURS boss Juande Ramos has refused to read anything into an angry reaction from Ireland captain Robbie Keane when he was substituted during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City despite scoring his team’s only goal.

A frustrated Keane was caught on camera throwing his tracksuit top to the ground after he was replaced by Darren Bent, but Ramos stood by his decision.

“I didn’t see his reaction, but it’s normal and players want to play all the time,” said Ramos. “They are disappointed when they are replaced and that’s football. But we have a squad of players on the bench and we have to share out the minutes.

“We have players on the bench who need some minutes and others who need a rest because they have played a lot of minutes.”

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