It seems like disliking Eamon Dunphy is part of the job criteria to become the Republic of Ireland manager.
Jack Charlton had numerous disputes with Dunphy, who directed his ire towards Mick McCarthy during the Saipan incident in 2002, and if Giovanni Trapattoni knew who Dunphy was, we’re sure he wouldn’t have liked him much either during his tenure.
Martin O’Neill isn’t a fan of the outspoken pundit. The Ireland manager was speaking at an event in Cork on Wednesday night, ahead of the team’s departure for Euro 2016, and took aim at the RTE pundit.
When asked if he was affected by criticism during his tenure, some of which came from Dunphy, O’Neill said: “It doesn’t bother me in the slightest, seriously. To be criticised by a failed manager is bad enough but to be criticised by a failed player like Eamon Dunphy…”
It’s unclear whether O’Neill’s reference to a “failed manager” was directed at John Giles, Dunphy’s friend and fellow RTE pundit, who had spells in management with West Bromwich Albion, Shamrock Rovers and the Irish national team.
Giles managerial career wasn’t a failure, but the former Leeds United midfielder walked away from management relatively early in his career.
What’s in no dispute is O’Neill’s estimation of Dunphy and his career, spent largely with Millwall in the old second division.
“I have to have a laugh at this, I heard Eamon once said, and I can’t do the Dublin accent, ‘I was a good player, not a great player…’, No Eamon, you weren’t even a good player,” O’Neill said.
“You can’t call yourself a good player if you’ve never played in the big league. He couldn’t make the grade at Manchester United and he’s been pontificating for years.”
It’s possible that some of the Championship players in O’Neill’s squad would not agree that one needs to have played in the top flight to be considered a good player, or maybe they couldn’t care less about a throwaway comment.
What’s in no doubt whatsoever is that Dunphy won’t be shy about responding to the Ireland manager’s barbs.
