Not that Eamon Dunphy was ever familiar with biting his tongue, the pundits exit from Montrose has led to the 73-year-old opening up on his views of RTE in its current state.
The pundit spoke with Tom Lyons of the Sunday Business Post about his feelings regarding his former employer.
A recent interview by Gaelic Life of RTE head of sport Declan McBennett drew the chagrin of the analyst, Dunphy responding to McBennett's message that no personalised attacks are allowed by pundits on individuals:
Who is he to fucking say that? What is a personalised attack?
RTE have lost their nerve hugely, and that is something that can't be fixed, except by strong people, but they want strong people out the door.
If you say Martin O'Neill isn't up to the job, is that a personalised attack? That is what journalism is for isn't it? Holding those people to account.
Dunphy also called the organisation 'ageist', and claimed that his former colleague Bill O'Herlihy was pushed out national broadcaster:
Bill didn’t go of his own volition. He was badly hurt and told he was too old. He wasn’t too old. He chose – being a good PR man – to go himself, but he didn’t want to go.
The controversial journalist also took umbrage with McBennetts comments around the RTE's GAA panelists, and how all thirteen had been men with an average age of 53:
He talks about this not matching age of his audience. The people who like me most are kids! Young guys! If I go out at night, it's fucking pandemonium. They are young educated people. They love their football and they enjoy forthright commentary.
Dunphy went on to say that the national broadcaster was trying to get strong people out the door, and that RTE 'weren't unhappy' when he announced his decision to leave Montrose after 40 years on the air.
