This article may not be Niall Quinn's finest work, but it's not his worst. The Guardian obviously felt that they couldn't turn down the chance to get Quinny's views on the appointment of Stan as Ireland manager back in 2006, perhaps with hindsight, Mr Disco Pants might change a few of his assertions.
Most people who know him well say he's a natural-born manager. Steve learnt how things were done under Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, then under Ron Atkinson at Aston Villa. Where Ron is the showman, Stan is a serious guy who has amassed great authority by never wavering from his insistence that the players around him match up to his standards. That's what was missing in the Ireland team when he retired. In the first European Championship qualifier after the 2002 World Cup when Russia gave us a hiding, the goals flew in and our defence kept trudging back to the halfway line, heads down all looking at their boots. Stan wouldn't have accepted that.
Nor would Sir Bobby. I know him from my time in the north-east and I'm convinced this role will suit him down to the ground. Stan will use him in every aspect of the job and Bobby's enthusiasm will ensure he has answers for every situation, whether that be tricky press relations or particular quirks of international football: knowing when to play an extra defender, or even to ignore the crowd and dare to take off your best player. That will prove invaluable. Just ask a certain Chelsea manager named Mourinho about Robson's teachings.
We may have worried for Stan on his own. As it is, this combination gives us all a fighting chance.
