Stan blasts StanD aside talk

Stephen Staunton has reacted to the call for his head by stating he is there for the long haul


He told eleven-a-side.com:

"That's the world we live in. If it's not me it's Eddie O'Sullivan, if it's not Eddie it's someone else. That's the way it is. There's no middle ground here, no common sense really. You can't be calling for a manager's head after every defeat.

"When you look at it, we're playing the Czech Republic, who are in the top 10 in the world. I mean, we've no divine right to be going to these countries and winning games.

"That's our own self-belief and that's what I have to try and change in the players' minds and they're slowly coming round."

Meanwhile he got the backing from one of his former colleagues Kenny Cunningham who spoke to

RTE Radio's Morning Ireland:

"I wouldn't give up on him yet personally. I think it has been a period of transition this time around.

"I think he made the decision to use this qualification campaign as an opportunity to blood some of the younger and more inexperienced players. Unsurprisingly, the performances have been very inconsistent in the group, Cyprus away being probably our worst moment.

"But also we had some very performances, Czech Republic at home was an excellent performance and Slovakia as well at Croke Park."

He added: "We're going to hear calls for Stan's dismissal, but I think it's too simple to say 'We haven't qualified for next year's European Championships so the manager should go'. We have to look at the players he had at his disposal, a very young and inexperienced group of players."