On the Haaland controversy..."I play in the middle of the park as a ball-winner. People want to hurt me. I want to hurt them. It's not the same as wanting to injure them or end their career. People need to chill out."

On drink...

"I've heard it all about me being an alcoholic, that I'm in and out of the Priory. It's been going on for two or three years. Or that I suffer from depression. It's part of the job, people always looking for a reason. People can say what they want.

"I used to drink, now I don't. Now the matches are so hard, so fast. We have a new coach at United, trains us very hard. I couldn't do it if I drank. I'm desperate to see out my contract at United. It will be hard enough to see it through without going out gallivanting."

On Niall Quinn.

"We were on the bus before the Nigeria game and Mick had just done a charity cycle and he was coming around the bus looking for money. One hundred euro for everyone. I had things I wanted to talk about, but I saw Quinny giving the money and you could just tell he just wanted to give a million euro. I shouldn't have said that, I can't resist."

On Steve Staunton...

"I was on holidays in Portugal over the summer and I saw Stan across the square in this little village. I wanted to go and talk to him. I should have done. I would have told him I thought he was wrong to do the press conference. He would have told me the same probably. I'd have said that I understood where he was coming from but I wouldn't have done it, that if Mick had asked him to jump in the river would he have done that too. But I was with my wife and kids and he was with his wife and kids. It was best not to start into it all."

On Mick McCarthy and the FAI

"I can't see the FAI firing Mick. They can't afford to. There was some guy on the television from the FAI, skinny fella, I don't know who he was, I don't know any of them, but he was saying, they back Mick. They back him all the way. I'm just thinking, what does he know?"

On Tony Cascarino...

"I read Tony's book and I enjoyed it, even though he sold it on the basis that he wasn't Irish at all. I think he should shut up now. He's playing with fire. He said I don't think Roy wanted to be there at the World Cup. Where did he get that from? I'd been advised to rest, the club put me under pressure but I went. Do me a favour Tony. I wanted to fly 24 hours, have an argument and then fly back."

On other Irish players

"Part of the set up was that I said in The Irish Times that some of the players are where they are because they lack drive. I was supposed to be going against the players. It's just a fact, though. Not many players have done very well at club level. Shay, Duffer... Stan is hanging in to be fair. Even the Leeds lads, Kenny Cunningham, nice lads, how come they aren't doing well? They are in teams, but they're not thriving. That's why I changed my career. If I hadn't changed, I'd be hanging in somewhere like Wolves, getting me few bob and driving down there. I'd be kidding myself and saying I was unlucky. I'm just saying there's an Irish mental attitude. Que sera, sera. You'll never beat the Irish."