Eamon Dunphy's love of Wes Hoolahan has long been a source of amusement and consternation among Ireland fans. Last time out against Poland, saw the Norwich man deliver one of the most divisive performance's from an Irish player in recent history.
Many, including Dunphy fawned over Hoolahan's desire to get on the ball in the final third. Others were less than impressed with his Man of the Match performance. And that's the way it's been for quite some time.
Hoolahan is the go-to argument when international week rolls around and ahead of the Scotland game on Saturday, Dunphy has come out all guns blazing.
Speaking on 2FM's Game On last night, the RTÉ pundit hit out at Ireland manager Martin O'Neill over his cautious approach and the effect that approach has on the players at his disposal.
Dunphy referred to Aidan McGeady's belief that the Ireland players regularly 'play great football in training' but as tends to happen, that all came back to Hoolahan and O'Neill's reluctance to play him away from home.
He’s talked stupidly about Wes Hoolahan being able to play at the Aviva but not being able to play away from home. What pressure that puts on Wes when he goes on the pitch, ‘the manager doesn’t really believe in me.
And O’Neill is musing in public about whether to play Wes Hoolahan in away games. I mean that’s a sacking offence. The Martin O’Neill who achieved great things with Celtic, Leicester and even Wycombe was optimistic. He did instil belief in his players.
I mean he got to a UEFA Cup final with a team that overachieved but if you’re humming and hawing in public about Wes Hoolahan that’s outrageous. I’d sack him for that.
We're already looking forward to the panel's endless debate over Hoolahan on Saturday, regardless of how well he plays or if he even plays at all.
