TONY MORIARTY,
Madam, - Liam Brady, a man who was truly a great and sporting soccer player for Ireland, said on RTE after the resignation of Mick McCarthy that the bad boys had won. How true he is.
Why don't the FAI go all the way and appoint Roy Keane both captain and manager of the Irish team? After all he always seemed to see himself in that dual role.
What a model he would represent to the children of Ireland in the realm of sport. If you're the captain of a team and unhappy with conditions of the impending battle you just walk away, presumably hoping your team mates will follow your example. And, of course, following Keane's example, children would feel free to verbally abuse their team mates and opponents alike, while feeling free to take physical revenge on others for the same offence years later. - Yours, etc.,
TONY MORIARTY,
Shanid Road,
Dublin 6.
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Madam, - So now we have discarded a great Irishman who brought Ireland wonderful successes over many wonderful years - who played for Ireland with loyalty, integrity and total commitment throughout his career - because we lost two matches?
Or was it because we prefer a selfish, arrogant, unstable player who abandoned his country, its fans and his team mates at the moment of their greatest need, in a venomous fit of self-indulgent betrayal?
I wonder what this says about Irish football fans and the rank amateurs who administer the game. - Yours, etc.,
HOWARD BRITTAIN,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.
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Madam, - I wish to register my strongest objection to the way the FAI treated Mick McCarthy and how they handled (or didn't) the Roy Keane affair. The FAI sat on the fence and allowed the whole situation develop to this very sad and sorry mess. Mick McCarthy has been loyal to his team, fans and his country. Roy Keane has not: he walked out on his team, let down the fans, the country and himself. I do not want to see him play for my country ever again. He made his bed, now let him lie in it.
Not only would his return to the Irish team be humiliating to Mick McCarthy, it would also be an insult to the other members of the team who wholeheartedly supported Mick in Saipan and worked so hard to make us proud under very difficult circumstances.
I wish Mick every success and thank him sincerely for all he did for Irish football. He will be missed. - Yours, etc.,
ANDREA MULVILLE,
Woodpark,
Ballinteer,
Dublin 16.