WHAT WE HAVE HERE, IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

The Trappatoni regime will be measured by qualification for a major championship. As a typical Irish story, we could lament the 'Hand of Henry' as brutal luck for us and for Trap, but the bottom line was/is failure to qualify for another World Cup. We had chances to put the French away, we had other chances which could have lead us to avoid the playoff. We cannot keep blaming the French for our own shortcomings. So when we look back at the Trappatoni regime, either we qualify or we don't. The Italian regime will have either been a success or a failure.

A failure to communicate has come been witnessed in several instances before. It surprised many to hear that months had gone by before Trap even made contact with Stephen Ireland. Whatever is going on in that players head is anyones guess but it was the first sign that something in the structure of Trappatonis regime was not working. It makes one wonder if there is ever any contact outside the games and get togethers at all. One thing we know is that the team definitely plays in the mould of a Trappatoni set up. Whatever words he used to communicate his ethos effectively, he obviously used the correct ones. The breakdown appears to have come within his external relations with players.

The James McCarthy saga had been allowed to develop for far too long that it should have. While there had never been any doubt in the players mind over which country he would represent at international level, Trappatonis failure to contact him induced the Italians ego to blame it on the youngster, for failing to contact him. McCarthy was 16 when he chose to play for Ireland. He has put up with considerable abuse from Scottish League fans since that time but his loyalty to Ireland never changed. How does it feel for McCarthy now, to have waited and waited for contact with Trappatoni, only to be told he should have contacted the coach himself.

In the most recent embarrassment for Trappatoni and the FAI, while Trap was explaining to reporters that there had been no contact between James McCarthy and the team regarding his injury, in front of a crowd of journalists, the FAI officer present had to interrupt Trappatoni to say, well actually, yes we did have contact from McCarthy.

Stinking FIFA

Photograph by AP of $40000 paid by Bin Hammam to the Bahamas FA. Written on the envelope is "Bahamas".

FIFAs reputation has never been so damaged. Following the shock decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, there has been a massive backlash in the English press and public. Investigations into the activities of FIFA representatives and delegates attempting to persuade countries into voting for them on particular subjects, have never been so active. It now emerges that Mohammed Bin Hammam invited members of the Carribean Football Union to a plush hotel in Trinidad. Following a conference which espoused the virtues of the Qatari 2022 World Cup bid, officials were asked to go upstairs where they each received bundles of $40,000. Bin Hammam had been running against Sepp Blatter in the upcoming election for FIFA Presidency but on Sunday he pulled out, perhaps in anticipation of the exposure. All of this means, Blatter, thirteen years in office, will run for another four years unchallenged.

A surprise press conference was called today by FIFA moments after its own investigation cleared Sepp Blatter of any wrongdoing. When asked what was his reaction to Jack Warners comments that Blatter “should be stopped,” he replied, “what do you mean stopped? No, no reaction.” When asked if FIFA was in crisis he replied “Crisis? What is a crisis? Football is not in a crisis...”. He pointed to the Champions League Final as a sign of the games health even though the beautiful football on display that night had absolutely nothing to do with Blatter and alleged corruption. He responded to several journalists with contempt, as if they were out of place for asking genuine questions. He was asked how he could let all this corruption happen on his watch. He responded by looking at his Rolex.

He was asked if the election should be postponed, if he believed the Qatari bid was clean and whether now is the time to clean up the act. Each question made him visibly more irritated. By the end of the interview he was being berated by journalists for his conduct. The press conference was abruptly ended and Blatter was asking the press for more respect. He said he would not discuss issues with people who like to create problems. As a long standing investigator into FIFA corruption, who had been chuckling for the entire time, began to bellow out laughing, Blatter had already exploded. “Yes, you can laugh,” Blatter said to him, “that is an attitude, like elegance is an attitude, or respect is an attitude,” implying neither of the latter two were present among the press group. “One thing I learned when I was a journalist, was respect and when the person says press conference over, I would say thank you.” The incumbent then turned and walked quickly out of the conference.

Unfortunately, Sepp Blatter will be re-elected FIFA President on Wednesday as he is unchallenged and he will run the beautiful games governing body for four more years. It will only be damaging to have him remain at the helm as it will delay the overhaul required in FIFA.

Johnny Giles, Jinky Johnstone and the Greatest Player Celtic Never Had

George Connelly - the greatest player Celtic never had

The drink afflicted Jinky Johnstone like it affected so many other great players of his generation. Toward the end of his career, he found himself playing League of Ireland Football, simply so he could earn a living. Football was not about the money back then and without alterior careers or further careers in the game, so many players finished their careers pennyless - the greatest players of them all were no exception.

An ex Ireland international, who played with Jinky at Shelbourne, though they spent more time on the drink than on the pitch, told me that when Johnny Giles was faced with an opponent as equally talented, he would be “out to do ya”. Giles' reputation as a hard man has been deflated in the eyes of present generations. His media coverage is as laid back as it is analytical, representing an old fashioned simplicity of the game. There is no argument from people who played with and against the Leeds legend, he was never shy about sticking the boot in. His reputation as a player certainly doesn't match the loveable grandad of the game we hear and see so often in the media today. One players career is testament to that.

His name was George Connelly and he had been part of the famous “Quality Street” gang of players emerging at Celtic in the early seventies. Connelly made his debut at sixteen and dazzled fans with his skills and ability. He was famous for doing keepy ups in the box. In the semi final of the European Cup 1970, Connelly announced his arrival on the world stage, tearing the much fancied Leeds side apart and scoring the winner at Elland Road. He was regarded at that time as better than Jinky Johnstone, the successor to Billy McNeill and potentially the greatest player Celtic would ever have.

His abrasive attitude on the pitch betrayed his insular shyness off it and the young lad from Fife found it difficult to adapt to city life. He found solace in the drink which fueled his introverted problems. He walked out on Celtic several times but Jock Stein always managed to turn him around. He even walked out on Scotland moments before boarding a plane. Eventually his problems became too much of an influence and he walked out on Celtic for the final time. Archie MacPherson claimed, in his biography on Jock Stein, that Jock's inability to handle the events surrounding Connelly as his biggest failure.

The mercurial player abandoned Celtic, Scotland and the promising career he had made for himself. He wandered aimlessly from club to club in an effort to finance his survival. Jinky Johnstone asked him to come to Ireland, Johnstone had always been a mentor to him. But on arriving in Ireland, no club would take him in. According to the ex Irish international who played with Jinky at Shelbourne, Johnny Giles, bitter over the Semi Final defeat to Celtic in 1970 made sure Connelly would never play in Ireland. Giles' influence over the League of Ireland was absolute and it is a shame he never got to play here. He hung up his boots at 26 and went on to become a taxi driver.

Connelly returned to Celtic Park for the first time in 32 years when he walked out to the centre circle for the Champion League match with AC Milan. It was a fitting return for a man who, when he was a youngster, was sent out by Stein to entertain the crowd at half time with his juggling skills. His name is not as well known now as Chalmers, Dalglish, McNeill or Johnstone but his talent was as equal if not better than those he left behind.

Fake GAA Medals

The new GAA logo, without the Sovereign Seal

In 1910 the GAA brought the completion of the inter-county championships up to date, by giving the Tipperary hurling team of 1887, their winners medals 23 years after defeating Galway. Their medals bore the Sovereign Seal with the word Éire. The same style medal has been given to winners of the inter county championships every year until 2008. That year, Kilkenny were due to play Waterford in the All Ireland Hurling Final, 'the cats' going for their third in a row. But the actions of the GAA have called into question what it is to win the All Ireland.

The Sovereign Seal is what people mistakenly refer to as the harp. Indeed, it is an image of a harp, facing right to left with soundbox to the back. Think Guinness Harp but facing the other way. Since the beginning of the organisation, the image has been the centrepiece of the GAA logo, it has been represented on Medals and Trophies and featured in the crests of clubs and counties. But just as the story of Sam McGuire has been allowed to diminish into myth and to folklore, no significance seems to remain in the hearts of the GAA toward the Sovereign Seal.

In September 2008, in a secret move, without consultation from county boards or representatives, the GAA removed the sovereign seal from their medals and logos. It was replaced with a stylised scribble of the letters 'GAA'. The hierarchy has remained silent as to its decision to remove the Sovereign Seal and silent in their reasoning for doing so. The founders of the organisation would be ashamed by the stewardship of the contemporary corporate board. In times of recession for ordinary people, the GAA has given senior citizens a miserly 25% cut on provincial and intercounty championship. The club game, the bedrock of the organisations communities, is disposed to the the lucrative intercounty game at every opportunity. The distance between the hierarchy of the GAA and the committed community voluntarism of its grassroot members has never been as wide as it is today.

A member of the Tipperary County Board, somewhat of a lone voice on this subject, explained to me the history of the inter county championships. The Sovereign Seal, he claims, was placed on the medals and trophies as a sign of authenticity of achievement. The winning captain became the bearer of the Sovereign Seal for his county for that year. The pride came in carrying the Sovereign Seal first, and winning the match second. Not a lot of history remains of Sam McGuire. One photo has prevailed, that of the Cork man in a team photo for London Hibernians. On his breast is the Sovereign Seal. On Sam today remains the Sovereign Seal but how many people know what it is or even aknowledge its presence? As the Tipperary man lamented, all the championship has become is a game of football.

Sam McGuire (centre holding ball) with London Hibernians proudly wearing the Sovereign Seal on his jersey

The 12th Player - Media

People tend to forget that Jose Mourinho has a degree in psychology. A lot has been made of his carry on off the pitch. In press conferences and interviews, his apparent arrogance thouroughly gets under peoples skin. But there is a big difference between what Mourinho is actually thinking and the message he puts across through the media. If the words he uses in a press conference can gain the smallest advantage for what happens on the pitch, why wouldn't the consumate winner try to benefit. His Porto team benefited greatly from refereeing decisions in winning the UEFA Cup in 2004, he knows this. He could not possibly believe in some sort of refereeing conspiracy involving Barcelona, the accusation is as ludicrous as it is deliberate. The reason for making such a statement, on the eve of the semi-final of the Champions League, is so that he could get under the skin of Barcelona. Tomorrow nights game will prove if it has been successful.

Mourinho is only replicating the type of mind games Alex Ferguson has used so successfully for years. When Kevin Keegan famously imploded in an interview with Sky, his team subsequently imploded in the league table – a negative reaction induced by the goding of Ferguson. He riled Benitez who reacted by producing a petty list in a press conference. It was the first sign of cracks in Liverpools title challenge and it had nothing to do with performance. The Scot can regularly be seen scowling at a referee or fourth official, despite the veracity of the decision. Mind games take place between managers as well as managers and officials. By constantly getting in the ears of referees and match officials, and by making comments about them to the press, Ferguson attempts to get in their heads in order to gain an advantage.

Instead of analysing what managers say in press conferences in reference to the action on the pitch, media relations should be analysed by why managers say what they say. The question that needs to be asked of managers like Mourinho, Ferguson and his cohort of protegés is do they really believe their own theatrics. I would certainly like to know and given the chance I would certainly ask them. The only problem for a journalists career is that another opportunity would likely never occur again. These mind games are routinely treated as genuine opinions and statements. Thus, one hand washes the other, and as long as there is spin there will be journalists to mop it up as quality content.

BOHS LEFT FEELING HARD DONE BY AS DERRY CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE RUN

Stephen Kenny marked a return to Dalymount Park with a two nil win over Bohemians. The win leaves Derry second in the Premier League table. The Candystripes have been performing well so far on their return to the premier division. The Gypsies dominated the early part of play, exploiting Derry's high defensive line to play balls over the top to Anto Flood. One chance was taken well by Flood whose lobbed shot over Gerard Doherty went inches over the bar. Derry were poor for the first forty minutes, misplacing passes and failing to get a shot in on the Bohemians goal. The turning point came in the 40^th minute when Keith Buckley was given a straight red card for what the referee deemed a two footed challenge on Daniel Lafferty.

Moments later Derry were a goal ahead from a fine Lafferty header. The cross supplied by James McClean from a free kick on the edge of the box, Lafferty getting up well to head it past the keeper. If the Bohs crowd felt hard done by with the sending off they felt doubly done in by the dubious free kick. Pat Fenlon, incensed at the decision to award the free kick, was sent off for throwing his jacket onto the ground. During the break the tannoy reminded the crowd that the last time Padraig Sutton officiated a match at Dalymount he sent off two Bohs players. The crowd were incensed by the referees decisions and many fans ran toward the tunnel to berate him.

Bohs never looked like getting back into the game and it was Derry who dominated the second half. Lovely play on the edge of the box, a chested pass from Eamonn Zayed fell perfectly for McClean who finished brilliantly. The goal came five minutes after the restart and effectively finished the game off as a contest. Derry had another chance from a corner that was cleared off the line by full back Bayly. A penalty for Bohs late on was lobbed by Killian Brennan, Zinedine Zidane style but the ball bounced back out off the woodwork. An Anto Flood headed rebound also hit the crossbar.

The old cliché, 'a game of two halves', was never more applicable but it was the match officials who proved to be the most influential men on the night. When asked for a reaction to the red card, Pat Fenlon replied “I didn't see it to be honest, I was more disappointed with the free kick for the goal because it was never a foul. At 11 v 11 we were happy, we were fairly compact, we had a couple of decent chances but we didn't take them... He (Keith Buckley) is disappointed, he obviously doesn't feel it warranted a sending off. There is no malice in the young fella.” Fenlon agreed that the reaction of the Derry players didn't help the situation. “Fellas running forty yards to have an 18 year old sent off, I think they have to look at themselves.”

The Derry boss was more relaxed in his analysis, “I can't say I'm happy with the performance, I thought we were alright. We've drawn a couple of games and I've been left scratching my head so we'll take the three points tonight. To come here and win two – nil, we are thrilled with that. We haven't played all that well tonight but we've won the game”. When asked if the sending off was a turning point in the game, “If you lose a player it is a turning point, I know I'm being fairly obvious but eleven players have a better chance than ten. It was a factor in the game.” He declined to comment further on the incident, “I've not got a great view because I'm on the far dugout. ”

Kenny described how only six of his first team had ever played Premier League football before this season. “As journalists you would probably struggle with both benches. Bohs are looking at our bench thinking, Jesus, who have they got. We're looking at Bohs bench thinking, who have they got. We only know bits and pieces about players.” With an eye on Mondays top of the table clash with Sligo he commented, “Big Stewart is suspended with four yellows. I didn't think he'd miss Mondays game but with the new rule you're suspended from Monday. It used to always be from Wednesday in every week but the new rule has caught us out a bit.” Derry are set to play Sligo at three o'clock. “I don't know what time on Monday he will be suspended from... Hopefully five o'clock.”

BOHEMIANS : O'Connor; Heary, Burns, Price (Feely 87), O'Brien; Buckley (S/O 44), Bayly, Brennan, Cahill (Dixon 74); Traynor, Flood.

DERRY CITY : Doherty; McCallion, Greacan, S McEleleney, Lafferty; Higgins, Deery; P McEleney (McDaid 88), McGlynn, McClean (McLoughlin 90); Zayed.

REFEREE : Padraig Sutton