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O'Sullivan quits
Join the Sky Sports Debate on Eddie O'Sullivan's decision to step down as coach of the Ireland rugby side.
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Join the Sky Sports Debate on Eddie O'Sullivan's decision to step down as coach of the Ireland rugby side.
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Comments
Michael Carton says...
Well Tomás Cotter, Fair play to you. I presume you are speaking for all Munster suppporters with your selfich request to keep Kidney. Don't ever call youself a proud IRISH man again.
Posted 13:35 7th May 2008
Tomás Cotter says...
Declan Kidney should not be the next Ireland coach as Munster are a far better team and will do the Irish (if only Munster Irish people) more proud than the Irish national team could ever do. If he became Irish coach he'd be wasted. The Irish team always underperform and the Munster always perform to the standard people expect with the exception of the Magners League. I hope someone else gets the job because they will still be working wsith the same players who dont have pride in the green jersey even if they do have pride in their club jersey be it red blue white or green(connacht). Anyway Declan Kidney was left on the sidelines when he was Eddie O Sullivans assistant and now he should return the favour Im proud to be Irish and would love to see the team do well but to be honest Ive more pride when I watch Munster play their heart out.
Posted 17:04 14th April 2008
Padraic Kearney says...
You can analyse this til the cows come homw or the next world cup, whichever comes quicker but it is simple...Eddie, grand job but like anything else, time to move on. The blame? it doesn't sit with one person. Let's not try to re-invent the wheel, what Eddie did worked. But now we need a new lease of life, spirit and passion coupled with experience of how to win. Declan can do it for Monster, Jake for S.A.....enough said. As for BOD, thanks to the fella for all his fantastic efforts and input but we need a captain, not a celebrity. We need a talisman with consistancy....Paul O'Connell, stand up, your time has come!
Posted 16:39 7th April 2008
Donal Coman says...
Eddie O'Sullivan should be appaulded for the diginity he showed in resigning with such grace in the face of an over opinionated public and press. Irish rugby fans should not forget the days of drubbing after drubbing from all and sundry throughout the northern and southern hemisphere, furthermore to complain about lack of success with triple crown after triple crown won was unfair taking into account how many had being won pre-O'Sullivan. To blame him for not using young players when the press would have ploughed him in defeat when not selecting Hayes, Horan or Wallace...etc is unfair. These guys are European Cup winners let's not forget. I hope success follows for whoever replaces Eddie but will we see a grand slam? Anyone who does not tip their hat to him or blame him fully and not the players as well is wrong. I hope the glory years are not finished but if they are we should all remember who was at the helm when it was good and not just when there was a blip! Good luck to him...
Posted 15:37 28th March 2008
Mark Moran says...
Fair play to Eddie he did a good job if not a great job by not winning a Six nations or a Grand slam but some of that blame has to be put on the players, or even those who chose Ireland's call as an anthem. Fair enough integrate the whole of ireland into an anthem, but It must be the least inspirational song sung by any international team ever. Take for example the other teams anthems, Scotland, France or Wales for example, how can you stand up, listen to these anthems and then listen to ireland's call, as a supporter, it does not get the hairs on your neck standing up. It does not give much motivation and put fire in your belly. Get an inspirational song and an inspirational coaching team like declan kidney, mick galwey and utilise alan gaffney as the backs coach, then we might see some success.
Posted 20:53 27th March 2008
John Obrien says...
Eddie OSullivan has done very well in the past, but should have retired two years ago. Historically teams winning the 5-6 nations had invariably a superb pack and an outstanding fly half The new young backs show immense promise and should gel quickly. The pack is a very significant problem, particularly the front row. I do hope Jake White is appointed as he has the experienc of success centred around a very impressive SA pack
Posted 11:55 26th March 2008
Mick Lally says...
Eddie did well during his time. He should have unfortunately left a couple of years ago when things weren't meshing using the same players/tactisc every outing. The IRFU management should equally retire as they are not without guilt from interferring in plans. Have a clean start for everyone. Don't rush the selection. Let a new IRFU management team select a new coach/manager. The next coach should look to the young players who brought a spirited play to the last few games, even if they made some mistakes in the process. No team member should count on automatic selection. Perhaps this was part of the WC failure, same players, same play and no effort to earn your place. BOD is a good player but is not captain material.
Posted 10:35 22nd March 2008
Mark Keats says...
The IRU should not of given O'Sullivan a new contract before the RWC. Ireland played in that tournament, actually they didn't play, Georgia should of beaten them. The team looks past its best, O'Sullivan looked like a man who wasn't sure which direction to take the team, and have the fortitude to replace O'Gara who isn't the player he was of '06. Ireland are in transition now, unlike England they don't have the depth of talent. Alan Gaffney to get the job for me, a fresh face in Irish rugby to shake them out of their 2 year slumber; not since '06 have Ireland played exciting rugby, in the autumn internationals, they thrashed the to be world champions South Africa; yes they beat a poor England team in '07, but choked against the French. White wants England; Woodward, why? he's won what needs to be won with the country he wanted to win it with; Kidney, Munster have done well, but they are coming past their prime, which makes up most of Irelands forwards, what can he do that O'Sullivan couldn't?
Posted 22:01 21st March 2008
Warren O neill says...
Would like to say thanks to eddie for all the work he has done over the last 7 yrs. Brought irish rugby to a height that it had never reached before.- 3rd in world, consistency never reached before, england victory in croker, beating major nations left right and centre and always aspiring to improve- how things have changed since 2002 Sapian! However, it was right for him to step down, the squad and his management had become stale and a fresh impetus is needed. Pat Howard is my man for the job- young, hungry, aggrssive, successful! All Munster and Thomand fans know about him!!! A young vibrant coach is needed!
Posted 12:00 20th March 2008
Seamus Mcnally says...
For once in my life I think I may understand how an Englishman must feel - seeing the waste of talent that has been a Golden Era for Irish rugby come to a close must be akin to how English football fans felt when Sven left having spent years wasting a similarly talented Golden Era. The only thing that we have done consistently over the last 7 years is underperform and bottle it at crucial moments. We've had the talent but have lacked the tactical nouse and mental toughness to convert that talent into big wins. International rugby union is a tough place to operate and one that I fear was a step to far for Eddie - nice try and thanks for all the undoubted effort Eddie but when it came down to it, it wasn't quite enough. Jake White please.
Posted 11:50 20th March 2008
Mark Cussen says...
I would like to say Eddie O Sullivan did a great job, yes it is time for him to go but some of you people forget what Irish rugby was like before him. Warren Gatland for example did not achieve nearly as much (and I accept he had different players and in a different time), but before that nothing for fifteen years or so. Ireland were in freefall and " Steady Eddie" did just that he steadied a sinking ship. Real Irish rugby fans will realise that. The fact that we haven't won a championship must surely lie with the players (good as though they are), they threw the grand slam away against France last year after doing all the hard work and then further threw away the championship against Italy for stupidity. The other years we stumbled on good French sides and even once gave them 40 mins head start, these outings were with the best Irish teams well prepared. Eddie O Sullivan led us from the dark ages into the modern era of professional rugby and for that I for one am at least grateful.
Posted 11:47 20th March 2008
John Cairns says...
When Plan A didn't work for O'Sullivan, he resorted to Plan A. We need a decision-maker, someone who's not afraid to step-up and make the changes necessary to turn a poor performance into a decent one or even shore the team up....damage limitation. And I mean during the 80 minutes. Also, Eddie was too afraid to break up his Munster golden boys. There's no doubt that O'Connell, O'Gara and Stringer have been fantastic, almost talismanic for The Greens but Reddan was our man of the 6Nations and he's been playing at that level for a while now. O'Gara choked at The World Cup - it happens (Ronaldo at France '98 - maybe it's something in Les Bleus water!!) - but Paddy Wallace wasn't even given a chance - it would have been a lot for him to take on as he'd only started breaking into the Ulster side due to the inexorable Humph but it is at moments like this that great players are made. It was just too risky for Steady Eddie. These are my sensible points but the main reason I'm glad to see the back of him is rather less level-headed..... He's a sneaky little board-bumming yes man.....there, I said it.
Posted 10:29 20th March 2008
Bernard Kelly says...
I'm so happy Eddies gone.Hes a terrible coach,with that bunch of players he never won a championship let alone a grandslam.Triple crowns are no longer a thing to care about its an imaginary trophy from a bygone era. Wales won the triple crown and they made no bones about it they looked forward to the grand slam.if that was Edddie he probably would have just given up there and then becuase he never had real success.I hope Jake White takes the job andthe IRFU give him free rein. I also think O'driscoll should retire in the next year he's completely lost it, and ireland have to find new players to take us forward.If he doesnt retire he should be benched so he knowshe's not immune to being dropped.
Posted 10:24 20th March 2008
Malcolm Johnson says...
Eddie has done a great job but the game has changed so much in the last 7 years a change is needed. At least the IRFU gave him a chance after the world cup. That showed class and just the right amount of loyalty. He's made the right decision.
Posted 08:45 20th March 2008
Nicky De paor says...
I agree with Tom, Eddie has done a fabulous job but the Irish setup need freshness, new voice, new ideas... Eddie showed great loyality to his players but it appeared at times when that loyality played a key part in team selection. If you look recently at the Paul O'Connell was bought in at the expense of Mick O'Driscoll, Micko was doing the job for us so Paul should have earned the right to get on the first fifteen. Eventhough Paul O'Connell is a monster of a player on his day. Anyway Great JOB Eddie... Jake White is a man I would consider!
Posted 08:23 20th March 2008
Tom Evans says...
Eddie has taken Ireland as far as he can but it's clear we need to rebuild now. We've been really poor in the World Cup and Six Nations and need an injection of new ideas and new blood.
Posted 08:05 20th March 2008
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