JIM GAVIN PRESS conferences generally don’t produce anything earth-shattering, particularly his post-match duties following a routine win in Leinster.
For a man who has become known for providing drab answers at his dealings with the media, this was out of character for the Dublin manager. It was a Gavin press conference with a twist.
Dublin refused to engage with with the broadcast media in Croke Park today on a one-to-one basis and according to Gavin he’ll only answer questions with them in a group setting going forward.
He initially stated that it wasn’t related to the negative TV coverage surrounding Diarmuid Connolly’s brush with Ciaran Branigan after Dublin’s win over Carlow on 3 June.
“It’s not the reason,” Gavin explained in the media auditorium underneath the Hogan Stand. ”We’re talking to the media now.
“I’m talking to them (the broadcast media) here. I’m talking to them now in the auditorium. We just decided to change it up.”
Asked whether it was a difficult decision to accept Connolly’s 12-week suspension, Gavin went on to criticise how The Sunday Game and Sky Sports handled the incident in Portlaoise.
“First of all, we can’t condone any player interfering with match officials whether it’s in the rulebook or not,” he said. “That’s the first thing we’d say. Diarmuid accepts he made a mistake and straight up he accepted the suspension. For my part, what concerned me was the way his good name was attacked before we even saw the referees report.
“Freedom of expression is one of the rights in the Republic but it’s not absolute. Each individual has his own right and I believe that his good name was affected by that.
“We had the national broadcaster in their post-match review, both Pat Spillane and Colm O’Rourke but particularly Pat, read out a pre-determined statement which was disappointing. Particularly because both of them are teachers you’d hope they’d understand that people do make mistakes and that due process should be allowed before we become judge, jury and executioner in one particular incidence.
“We saw on Sky Sports the rulebook being read out against him.
“It certainly gained traction. It’s disappointing that that is the way it has gone, particularly in Gaelic games where the coverage has always been excellent and very balanced.
“In this case, I saw instances the same weekend and the weekend after of a similar type of reaction from players where they put hands on officials but yet there was no comment on it from any quarter so it is a very unbalanced approach.”
The Dublin manager felt the broadcast coverage of the Connolly incident contributed to his citing by the CCCC.
He also explained that Dublin received legal advice that Connolly could have been cleared if the case went to arbitration, but the player decided against it.
“It was my decision to pursue with the CHC and get their opinion on it,” Gavin added.
“We’ve received advice from senior counsel that if this went to arbitration the case wouldn’t hold but Diarmuid didn’t want that to happen. He just wanted to move on in the best interests of the team. That’s what he decided to do.
“The bile and the malevolent attitude that certain broadcasters went after him with. An incident happened in the game and we need to let the referee’s report be issued and then we can reflect on it. Like I said, I don’t condone what happened and neither does he.
“He said it was a mistake but people really went after him and that is disappointing from the Gaelic Athletic Association and the coverage that we have had in this sport over many years.
“Diarmuid has put his hand up and said it was a mistake and he’s prepared to accept his suspension. From my part, I’ve a duty of care for the player and I firmly believe there was an attack on his good name. The freedom of expression and opinion – it’s an important part of our constitution and the Republic but it’s not absolute. You can’t attack somebody’s good name unwarranted and I believe it was on this instance.”
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Robbie Keane has nothing to prove.
Has been a flat track bully over the last half-a-dozen years.
We won’t be playing Faroe Islands in June.
Add Darron Gibson to that list….. Can’t even make the Everton bench now others are back from injury. (Unlike many others who seem to think he got better while injured), dont think he’s good enough to start for us, but would like to see him back playing regular club football.
If – and it’s a big if – Gibson can secure first team football between now and June he deserves to go. He’s a proven commodity at this level unlike Arter.
Everton were in fantastic form when he got a run of games.
Yeah to be honest (and I don’t like saying this because I had high hopes) I’m not sure he is proven at international level – not sure he was ever massively convincing for us. We always had that hope that ‘once he got a run of games’ he’d be better for us, but when they did come (I) it was down to others being injured and (2) he got injured playing for us before he could show anything. It’s a real pity. Arter has been playing first team football, when fit, for two seasons now and has impressed in a way I’m not sure Gibson ever did. I’d take him if it’s between the two.
Rob Elliot has to start in goal, Newcastle No.1 playing week in week out and playing really well, pulled off some top saves against Arsenal at the weekend. No brainier for me.
Couple of those saves were because of strange decisions to punch rather than catch though – ended up leading to further chances (that he admittedly saved). Give him a chance, but Randolph inspires more confidence for me.
Arter and judge are far better options than mcgeady.
I want to know what Keiran Westwood has to do to be considered, the best goalkeeper in the championship last year and consistently starting games every week
He fell out with MON at Sunderland.
What else does Robbie Keane have to do?
Score against teams that aren’t bottom seeds and contribute in overall play like Murphy, Long and Walters do?
I wouldn’t worry about anything Ronny Delia says about McGeady.. Delia is one bad result away from the sack.. O’Neill and Dermot Desmond are good mates, guaranteed McGeady will be a Celtic player come the end of January..
Are related to MON or DD which used be known as Double Diamond years ago ? ?.Some of the comments on articles are so amusing
Sorry Nick could you write that in English please?
The problem is that Deila isn’t one game away from the sack! Celtic are still persisting with him even though the team gets worse every week.
Anyway, to McGeady. The most naturally gifted player we have in the squad but his confidence is shot to feck. McGeady is too inconsistent, he’ll pop up with a piece of brilliance then will be complete muck for the next 5 games.
McGeadys big problem is that he is not a winger but ever since MON brought him through at Celtic that’s where he has played. McGeady was a number 10 through his entire youth. Unfortunately MON didn’t really understand how to use a creative midfielder at Celtic so he was shunted to the wing and has pretty much been there ever since. He doesn’t have the attributes to be a winger other than being able to dribble. Can’t cross and isn’t particularly quick.
McGeady has the same issues he had a 18, glimpses of class but with no end product. I’d love O’Neill to give him a run in midfield but O’Neill has the same issue he had at Celtic he doesn’t know how to effectively use a creative midfielder.
Point taken ! As I belong to a category of the population that is now officially known as “Seniors” I tend to get my fingers crossed, not my wires dare I say, from time on the “ould” smartphone. I also might have been intertupted by one of the grand kids wishing to engage in a blast of Trivial Pursuits.I suppose one could say thats what Im doing right now as I have a little free time on my hands !! What triggered my original post I cannot really recall right now – It obviously didnt engage my brain very well ! Again apologies for the misuse and the abuse of the “ould” English. Its very remiss of me particularly since I used it, albeit in a more cliched format,very extensively in a previous life. I better quit now a I am an avuncular kind of individual prone to a little causticism ! To quote the old Hill Street Blues (before your time I reckon) Bí Curamach out there Níoclás PS; At the risk of being a name dropper I did meet the main man from Kilrea on a few occasions
Keane should not be selected. Huge fan of his, but his time is over.
I am not sure Randolph or Keane have anything to prove. They will make the squad unless injured. The other lads are probably more at risk or have less chance of a call up anyway.
Darren Randolph has nothing to prove. Less of the hate
Darren Randolph has nothing to prove. Stop hating on him