Soccer analyst Mark Lawrenson is baffled by the stance that John Delaney is taking on manager Steve Staunton's position

In the aftermath of the Cyprus game I might have been a lonely voice when I said I thought it would be pointless for the Football Association of Ireland to sack Steve Staunton, having shown enough long-term faith in him to give him a four-year contract when he was appointed.

Sacking him after a handful of competitive games just makes no sense, particularly if you don't have an experienced, top-class manager ready to replace him.

They took a chance on Stan, despite his inexperience, and they could hardly then have the right to expect him, after just nine months in the job, to have developed into the manager they hoped he would become. That was what the four-year contract was all about: he was given time, as were the team.

With that in mind, I was baffled by FAI chief executive John Delaney's comments yesterday - or, rather, his non-comments.

He was given more than one opportunity to unequivocally back the man he appointed at the beginning of this year - this year - but chose not to do so.

Yes, he came out with general "we all support Stan" stuff, but refused to confirm that he would continue to back the manager regardless of tonight's result.

Was John Delaney not the man who was quoted last week as saying that Stan would still be manager even if we finished bottom of the group?

And now he's saying he won't talk about "contractual issues" ahead of the Czech game?

How else can we interpret that other than a backtracking on his initial unequivocal support for - I repeat - the man he chose to manage Ireland nine months ago?

Delaney should have done one of two things: either said nothing at all, or else given that unequivocal support.

It's just populist stuff, that's all it is. It reminds me of a club chairman who, having given his manager a vote of confidence, then gets cold feet when the crowd begin to turn on him.

Having given Stan that four-year contract, he cannot suddenly say "thanks, but no thanks". If he does, then the FAI, once again, become a laughing stock.

So, from saying earlier in the day that he had the full confidence of his employers, Stan now can't be sure. As if there weren't enough pressures on him going in to the Czech game.

As for the stick Stan's been getting, well, it's understandable to a point, but some of it has been vicious and depressing.

All that personal stuff, the "Muppet" carry-on - well, it just seems like sections of the press in Ireland have descended to the levels of their English counterparts, particularly during the Graham Taylor period.

But I think right-minded people can see past it. Whatever your views on Steve Staunton the manager, Steve Staunton the man doesn't deserve it.

And he certainly didn't deserve an already grim injury crisis becoming worse. It's been extraordinary. It really has reached the stage where the team has picked itself, the only decision for Stan to make is whether to go 4-4-2 or 4-5-1.

He must be tempted to go with five in midfield, even though that's not an option you particularly want to choose for a home game.

But it can buy you time in a game, it can give you that bit more security defensively, and we all know the importance of a positive start tonight.

If you're, say, 2-0 down at half-time, then yes, of course, you go back to 4-4-2, but 4-5-1, if everyone does their job, could get them through sections of the game, and bit by bit help them get their confidence back.

And if you go with Andy Reid on the right and Damien Duff on the left, with Lee Carsley, Kevin Kilbane and, say, Alan Quinn in the centre, you can make it a 4-3-3 when you have the ball.

I am, naturally, glad to see Carsley back. I assume his brief will be to sit in front of the defence and give them some protection.

And, against the Czechs, they are most probably going to need it.

The partnership of John O'Shea and Paul McShane, of course, makes me nervous, it's a hell of a debut for McShane.

But you have to believe - hope? - the defending couldn't possibly be any worse than it was against Cyprus.

Even a fully fit Irish squad these days, in my view, is a weak one; what Stan has now is the best of a bad bunch.

I hope the crowd understand that and don't turn on them; if they do, they have no right to be there.

But I have a feeling the team will respond sufficiently well to maybe even get a draw out of this game, and that, taking everything into account, would be fine.

I know there's a sense of doom about this game, that we could get another serious thrashing, but sometimes your worst fears aren't realised.

We'll cling to that hope for tonight, and trust that some pride will be restored.