Grounds for complaint

It remains to be seen if the bid is accepted, but even the prospect of Ireland co-hosting Euro 2008 is exciting, and something that was only a pipedream when I was playing.

The biggest stumbling block is grounds. I have to agree with David O’Leary when he says that, having participated in two World Cups and a European Championship, it’s an absolute disgrace that Ireland doesn’t have a national football stadium of its own already.

Whatever about the modernising of Lansdowne, and the ‘Bertie Bowl’ getting the green light, I think it’s time for the G.A.A. to stop living in the past and make Croke Park available for competitive matches. I can understand them wanting to protect their own games, but the fact of the matter is that since 1988, even hardcore Gaelic fans have followed the Irish football team. Speaking as a big Dublin supporter myself, I’d be very annoyed if the continued ban on “foreign codes” was a factor in UEFA turning ourselves and Scotland down.

Talking of David O’Leary, the situation that himself and his family are in at the moment is absolutely horrendous. What does this lunatic think he’s going to achieve by sending him threatening letters? Normally nothing comes of it, but when it’s not just yourself but your wife and your kids who are being targeted, you can’t afford to take any risks.

I used to get hate mail calling me this, that and the other. A fair few of them were from people at home saying, “You’re not really Irish.” It was a bit distressing at first but then I learned the proper response, which is to screw them up and throw them in the bin.

I’ve said this before in hotpress, but every time I was sent an abusive letter or had something racist shouted me at a ground, it made me even more determined to go out there and play well. That’s the best way to answer your detractors.

As for David “bringing it on himself”, all he’s ever done in relation to the Bowyer & Woodgate incident is be open and honest. I do think that the publication of his book would’ve been better left to the end of the season, but the publishers obviously dictated otherwise. I have to be honest, though, and say that nothing about it has made me want to rush down to W.H. Smith’s!

On another somewhat controversial subject, I understand that John Giles was very critical of Sam Hamman in the Evening Herald. While I agree that him prancing round the pitch at Ninian Park was highly irresponsible, you have to applaud him for what he achieved at Wimbledon. Them beating Liverpool in the F.A. Cup is one of the great fairytale stories and, even though you’d have Fash and Vinnie trying to decapitate you, I loved our ding-dongs with The Crazy Gang. Sam’s trying to do the same rags-to-riches thing now at Cardiff and good luck to him.

Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink’s sending-off at Spurs has renewed the call for referees to have access to replays, but you know what? I wouldn’t make any changes to the way they operate at the moment. I always believed in going out there, taking the good decisions with the bad, and at the end of 90 minutes shaking the ref’s hand. It saddens me to see someone like Thierry Henry running after an official because he disagrees with the decision that’s been made. The only course of action in those circumstances is to get the red card out.

Another thing that players need to come to terms with is dissent. In my day you could call the ref a “bollocks” and he’d tell you to “fuck off”, but not anymore. The reason being that every game nowadays is televised, and FIFA don’t want those sort of images being beamed into people’s homes.

Getting back to White Hart Lane – I’m in a position to say what others have been thinking, which is Mr. Hasley saw a black arm lashing out and when the fracas was over couldn’t differentiate between Melchiot and Hasselbaink. To be fair, there were other bodies between him and the incident, and the red card’s subsequently rescinded. The worst decision I was ever on the end of was when Paul Walshe fell over like a sack of potatoes in the box and, even though I’d won the ball cleanly, the ref pointed to the spot. Paul had the good grace afterwards to admit that he’d dived, but by then it was too late because the converted penalty is what decided the game.

The other big news this week is Niall Quinn putting me to shame and giving all the money from his testimonial to charity. I’d love to have been in Quinny’s position, but I needed the money to buy the house I’m in now and look after my kids properly.

I timed things badly in that it was only when I was finishing up that clubs started paying players the telephone numbers they’re getting now. Nobody I played with was a millionaire by the time they were 23, whereas anyone who spends a couple of seasons in the Premiership now is set for life.

This might sound like sour grapes but to then hand them another million is a bit excessive. Perhaps Niall, who’s a wonderful ambassador for the game and a great guy to boot, will set a precedent.

I stand to be corrected, but John Courtney buying Michael Knight out makes Carlisle the first wholly Irish-owned club in the Football League. I met Roddy Collins, who’s the manager there, a couple of seasons ago at a charity game and he’s just larger than life. It’s a dog eat dog world in the third division, but with a bit of money behind him, who knows what he’ll achieve? I’ve a lot of time, too, for John who was very good to us Ireland lads when he was with Umbro.

Finally, I can confirm that the atmosphere at Old Trafford was suitably funereal after the Liverpool defeat. As the game progressed you got the sense that Man U were happy to settle for the draw, and left it too late to step up a gear. Full marks though to Steven Gerrard for providing the bit of magic that won the game. And, who knows, maybe the Premiership!