A funny sort of coronation. There was a length of red carpet. There were nine camera crews, a million snappers and 10 million scribblers all gathered in the Round Room at the Mansion House.
A funny sort of coronation. There was a length of red carpet. There were nine camera crews, a million snappers and 10 million scribblers all gathered in the Round Room at the Mansion House.
There were FAI spin doctors and there were blazers aplenty. There was a fan who saw fit to give a lengthy encomium and there was the cliched photo opportunity of the principals lovingly holding either end of an Irish scarf. There was talk of heady days in Giants Stadium.
On the whole, though, it wasn't what might be termed Stanmania, just a sober and cautious start to the tenure of a man who made caution his trademark during a long career.
Among the media there was debate as to what the correct form of address for the new soccer manager should be. Stan? Steve? Stephen? Mr Staunton?
Sir Bobby Robson, the glamorous assistant in this double act, announced that he would be calling the new Irish manager Stan. For his part Steve/Stan/Stephen said nothing of how he would be addressing Sir Bobby, but referred to him continually with the words "this man here".
When the FAI speeches were over, the new Irish manager read a prepared statement. We had hoped to be filled with the spirit and fervour of the born again and perhaps to leave actually speaking in tongues.
Stan, however, exercised his customary caution and pushed only the buttons he had chosen to.
"It is clearly the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I am fully aware of the responsibility placed on my shoulders by the footballing community and I understand the expectations that go with that.
"We have the greatest fans in the world bar none - I have witnessed it. I was so lucky to have soldiered with them over the years."
He spoke kindly, as all new managers do, about the need for the media and the management team to be friends. One journalist asked a member of the backroom team, the new Irish coach Kevin McDonald, for his phone number and was given the number of the training ground at Aston Villa.
Friends, but nothing special.
Still, that doesn't stop us from being concerned. We in the media came bowed down with anxiety about the arranged marriage between Our Stan and Sir Bobby. Stan protested, too much some of us thought, that the marriage was his idea. He had sent his liege, Niall Quinn, to ask for Sir Bobby's hand and Quinny had come back saying Sir Bobby was gagging for action.
So far it has, said Stan "been a bed of roses". Stan and Sir Bobby had clicked straight away.
The real work begins with a friendly game in March. Until then the honeymoon rolls blissfully on.
The media wanted to know what the public could expect, what brand of football would the Irish be playing. "Brand of football," said Staunton with a sigh. "When we get to Croke Park we might bamboozle them." And that was the nearest we came to controversy. A good start.
SportsTuesday: page 21