Latest news with #EamonDunphy
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘George Best was a close friend' – Eamon Dunphy reveals Man Utd ‘journey' & how lifestyle left him ‘unable to pay rent'
EAMON DUNPHY revealed smoking and discos led to his short stint at Man Utd going to the dogs. The former Republic of Ireland international, 79, joined Advertisement 2 Eamon Dunphy opened up on his time at Man Utd Credit: Cody Glenn / SPORTSFILE 2 He revealed he was good friends with George Best Credit: Joe Bangay/He never managed to play for the first team, and went on to play for York City, Dunphy opened up on his experience at And he revealed that despite the tenure being short-lived, he was able to strike a bond with Man Utd all-time great He said: "I was at Law . Advertisement Read More on Eamon Dunphy "George was a very close friend of mine and a bright guy. "He was very quiet. George could sit on the coach for hours and say nothing but if you went to a disco with him, the girls were crazy. "He loved girls and he loved - it killed him in the end - the fame and the adoration. "He was kind of the fifth Beatle, they dubbed him in the papers. He was very good looking. Advertisement Most read in Football "He had a kind of quiet way about him, a bit of mystery. We were good pals. We used to go dancing together." Dunphy went to Manchester at the age of 15 at a time of flux in the club's storied history . Irish comedian Gary Cooke blows fans away with musical impression of Eamon Dunphy Two years earlier, in 1958, 23 people - including eight members of the team - died in the Munich Air Disaster. Among the players who perished was Liam Whelan, who also played for Ireland. Advertisement Ten years later, three after Dunphy left the club, the Red Devils won the first of their three European Cups. Among those who starred for the team that season were George Best, Denis Law, and The side that faced And Dunphy believes the tragedy and the decade that followed elevated the 'Busby Babes' onto another level of iconography. Advertisement He added: "To go to Manchester United from Dublin was a dream. "I went there in 1960, two years after the Munich air crash where eight of the team died. "They were a great team. They were champions and they were young. "Manchester United was a very big deal in Manchester and here too because one of those players, Liam Whelan, was an Irish international and a great player. Advertisement "That team made Manchester United famous around the world and the tragedy of the Munich air crash, or as it is called now the Munich Air Disaster, it elevated Manchester United into iconic status." LIFESTYLE OF SPORT The former One was the club's ability to draw the best and brightest, while the other was his lifestyle. He admitted: "In 1960, they had the pick of the best young players around the British Isles so I knew what I was going into. Advertisement "It was tough. I was there for five years but I never developed the upper body strength you need to be a top class player, mainly because I was smoking . "I was out all night at discos. "Another friend, Barry Fry, who is well known to Irish people, we used to go to the dogs maybe every night of the week sometimes. "I remember losing all of my wages on the Thursday which was payday and staying out all night because I wasn't able to pay my rent. Advertisement "I got bronchitis and the night watchman let me stay in his hut."
Irish Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Eamon Dunphy column: Manchester United and Spurs are joke shops
The Champions League is the most coveted prize in European football. And that reason is simple, because it is reserved for either the champions of each country, or in the case of the stronger leagues, the teams who finish in the top four. It shouldn't be a place for also-rans. Yet next year it will be. Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: The Damien Duff I know Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: FIFA are not guardians of the game but killers of it No team who finishes 15th or 16th should ever be allowed qualify for the Champions League. When you are a pair of teams who have lost 35 league matches between you, you should be trying to hide with shame. Yet it is almost certain that one of United or Spurs will be in the Champions League next season, by virtue of a makey-up rule that allows the winners of the Europa League to enter next season's Champions League. What message does it send out to the teams competing at the top end of the Premier League, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Chelsea? Imagine how those players will feel if they miss out and a team 10 or 11 places below them in the table gains entry to the 2025/26 Champions League. This tournament should be preserved for winners, not for a team who crashes to 4-3 defeat to Brentford, nor one who has lost more league games - 19 - this season than they have won (11) or drawn (5). Spurs are a joke. Their manager, Ange Postecoglou, is a controversial figure among their supporters, because of his attack-minded philosophy. Everyone knows he is on managerial death-row, ready to be sacked if this season ends trophyless. But even if it doesn't, we have to examine the quality of the trophy that Spurs may win. The Europa League is the poor man's version of the Champions League. The latter is silk; the former cotton. Yes, United and Spurs have done well in the competition, reaching the semi-final stage, building sizeable leads after the first leg of their last four games. United, to be fair to them, were excellent in Bilbao last week, building a 3-0 lead. They fought for that win. Their captain, Bruno Fernandes, led by example. Their opponents were frightened by the image of Manchester United, by the club they used to be, not the one they are now. For years, United had an aura. Now they have nothing. Think about it. They went to Brentford yesterday and lost. Brentford have never won a major trophy. United have won 68, including 20 Premier League titles and three Champions Leagues. Their average attendance is 75,000; Brentford's is 18,000. So how come the underdogs are so much better than United this season? It comes down to coaching. United are poorly led; Brentford are the opposite. Then there are the additional factors, the inability to ever find a suitable replacement for Alex Ferguson, the number of poor signings they have made, the fact their owners are only interested in making money, not in making history. So, in this context, they should really get what they deserve out of this season. Nothing. But somehow they have played the role of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, brilliant in Europe, a disgrace in the Premier League. And because of their march to the semis of a lesser competition, they may make it into the hat for next season's major, well regarded tournament, the Champions League. They don't deserve it. Nor does any team who wins the Europa League. A situation should never exist where a side like Spurs could lose 19 times, and counting, in the Premier League, and yet make it into Europe's elite competition. It's wrong. And once again it makes you question the people who run football. They ruin everything. If they want to make the Europa League a meaningful competition, then you have to be clever. By rewarding its winners with an escape out of the following year's event, they are being stupid. It's as if they are saying: win it this year and you'll never have to spend time in our company again. Yet if there is one thing I have learned about Uefa and Fifa over the years, it is their ability to make eejits of themselves without any shame whatsoever. The expansion of the Club World Cup into a 32-team month long tournament is both farcical and disgraceful. It means football will now run for 51 weeks of the year. Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, reacted to the news that his club would not be in this year's competition by uttering one word: good. He was relieved to have missed out on the invite because a football man like Slot knows what matters. And it isn't a contrived competition. Think about the tournaments clubs and countries want to win. They are those that have been there for decades. The first World Cup was played in 1930, the first European Championship in 1960, the first European Cup in 1956, the first English title competed for in 1888. Tradition isn't something you create. You can't make up or change the name of a competition and expect people to be attracted to it. That is why the Europa League is an irritation in the eyes of people who remember the UEFA Cup, why the Club World Cup is seen as a sham, nothing more. And it is why we have to stand up to TV companies who yearn for more games and who ignore tradition. The game is in crisis right now. TV companies, Fifa and Uefa are ruining it. And clubs like United and Spurs stand to profit from some boardroom bluffer who thought it a good idea to create a rule where the 15th and 16th best sides in the Premier League get to play off to decide who gains entry to next season's Champions League. That's wrong. No one can tell me it isn't.
Irish Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Eamon Dunphy column: The Damien Duff I know
The first time I met Damien Duff, I was seriously impressed. He was the recently retired player; I was the experienced analyst who had an image of being mouthy and always looking to create controversy. Pretty quickly Damien realised that this perception differed from the reality. He was new to the studio; John Giles, Liam Brady and I extremely welcoming to him. It naturally helped that he was good at his job. He had an air of confidence and we all found ourselves listening whenever he spoke. There was passion in his words. He knew his stuff. We liked him instantly as a person, and immediately were impressed with his deep understanding of all aspects of the game. Tactically he was astute; verbally he was articulate; emotionally he was intelligent. He could explain his points in succinct terms. Never mind becoming a natural analyst on television, it was plainly clear he had the ability to become a leading coach. And so it has proved. Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: FIFA are not guardians of the game but killers of it Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: I won't miss Marc Canham ... in fact I barely even knew he was here Late on in his time working with us on RTE, word had got out that he was training his underage Shamrock Rovers team at an ungodly hour in the morning. We joked about this. 'You are torturing those young lads,' I said, teasing him. He took the comment in the spirit it was meant, knowing I was being playful rather than having a dig. But beyond the smiles, we knew he was a serious operator, so when he transferred his work allegiances entirely from punditry to coaching, I wasn't surprised, because he had the talent and drive to do so. What I really liked about Damien was his humility. He was a colleague, first and foremost, part of a team. Lots of people go into punditry and showboat or else fall into the trap of repeating a point that someone else made. Damien didn't. He had his own ideas and was his own man. This has also become clear in his coaching. As a player, he peaked during his Chelsea years, when Jose Mourinho was his manager. Clearly there are aspects of Duffer's managerial style that are similar to Mourinho's, the fact his teams are so fit and hard to break down, the playfulness with the media when he needs to make a point. Yet he is not Jose-lite. He isn't trying to be Mourinho. He is comfortable in his own skin. When he was a player, he was perceived not to be, the word shy often used to describe him. I didn't know him personally then but I had a deep respect for his abilities. Too often we hear about 'brainless wingers'. Duffer was anything but brainless, knowing when to drift infield, when to track back and when to hug the touchline. In terms of ability, he was up there as one of Ireland's greatest ever. Those performances in the 2002 World Cup and then later in the 2009 World Cup play-off game in Paris, were exceptional. You have to admire the fact he retained a low profile and never complained about the state of the FAI, when, as we all know, there was plenty to grumble about. Not just that. You also have to admire his independence now. He knows he has a status as a former Premier League winner. Yet he uses it to fight for what is right, not to cause a stir for the sake of it. He loves the League of Ireland, particularly Shelbourne. And he fights for its cause, and theirs. The League needs him because his words carry respect and if the FAI ever act the maggot and not look after their clubs properly, you know rightly that Duffer will speak up and speak out. That has to be respected because by doing so, he is sacrificing his career ambitions for the greater good, because knowing the FAI, people in there will blackball him for being so critical. The bottom line, however, is that he has to be in the conversation when the Ireland manager's job comes up again, because everywhere this guy has gone, he has been a big asset. As a player, Ireland relied on him. As an analyst, RTE were boosted hugely by his presence. And now that he is in the League of Ireland, he is helping to move Shelbourne onto a level they never thought they'd return to. Remember an 18-year gap separated their 2006 title from last year's win. And remember too when he got the job, Shelbourne had just been promoted. So he took them to the FAI Cup final in year one, qualified them for Europe in year two, and won the League in year three. That's impressive, especially when you consider the additional resources that Shamrock Rovers, St Pat's and Derry City have. Yet it doesn't surprise me because the Damien Duff I got to know was meticulous, disciplined, likeable, innovative. He has ideas and principles about the game and the other thing is, he has nerve. He held it in Derry when Shelbourne needed to go to the Brandywell last season and get three points to win the League. Other managers would have cracked under the strain. Duff didn't. The man has status. The man has character. The man has class. And when The Icelandic Dentist gets his next job - possibly as a hygienist in a Reykjavik dental surgery - and a vacancy needs to be filled, then I know where the FAI should look. And that is to Tolka Park. If Duff wants it, the FAI needs to act quickly, because someone better than them will come calling for Duffer soon. He is another Special One.
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Accumulated profits at Eamon Dunphy podcast firm climb to €336,006
Accumulated profits at the firm behind Eamon Dunphy's The Stand podcast last year surged to €336,006 - just days before Dunphy pressed pause on the podcast project. New accounts show that Dunphy's Pepperwort Ltd recorded post tax profits of €74,811 in 2024 - which was down 28.5% on the post tax profits of €108,963 for 2023. The profits for last year resulted in the company having accumulated profits of €336,106 on December 31st and only seven days later, Dunphy and his wife and co-owner of Pepperwort Ltd, Jane Gogan announced that they were taking a break from The Stand. The two stated that would be taking a break from The Stand for the "foreseeable future" and explained that they had commitments to other projects which required their attention. The former RTÉ soccer pundit, who is set to turn 80 in August, had been presenting the show for over eight years. In a busy year for the business, Pepperwort's cash funds increased by €76,176 from €270,749 to €346,925 Regularly at the top of the podcast charts, The Stand also attracted high-level commercial sponsorship, including from Tesco. Dunphy and Gogan co-own the company on a 50/50 basis and the accounts showed that aggregate pay to the directors in 2024 was €74,811 which was a marginal increase on the €72,719 for the prior year. As well as generating revenue from advertisers, people could subscribe to The Stand for a fee of €5 (ex VAT) per month. The last new edition of The Stand was posted on December 19 and the current affairs, sport and culture podcast posts up to eight new episodes each week that included Dunphy and his former RTE soccer pundit colleague, John Giles discussing the latest soccer results. The successful podcast venture was the latest chapter in the long and successful media career enjoyed by the former Irish soccer international, Dunphy. Dunphy is currently at work on the second half of his autobiography where the first volume, The Rocky Road, told his story up to the 1990 World Cup and in a press interview last year, he said "the next part will be funnier and lighter". Dunphy has been a mainstay providing soccer analysis on TV and radio since the early 1980s and the Dubliner continues to write a soccer column with The Irish Daily Star. Dunphy has also written five best selling books including an early critically acclaimed memoir Only a Game?, U2's biography Unforgettable Fire, Sir Matt Busby's biography A Strange Kind of Glory, Roy Keane's autobiography Keane, along with The Rocky Road. Addressing Pepperwort's going concern status, a note attached to the accounts states that the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. In 2022, Dunphy moved to voluntarily wind up his other media firm, Festuca Ltd and a liquidator's final statement of account shows that there was €392,931 available to return to the firm's shareholders after expenses were paid out.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Eamon Dunphy column: FIFA are not guardians of the game but killers of it
Before we produce a list of Arsenal's poor results this season, let's examine their injury list. Because this matters, not solely to Arsenal fans, but to anyone who cares about the game. Ugly people are ruining it. Greed is ruining it. And if you don't believe that then look at this. This season alone, Arsenal have had injuries to TWENTY first-team squad players. Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: I won't miss Marc Canham ... in fact I barely even knew he was here Read more: Eamon Dunphy column: The idea Jude Bellingham is a great player just doesn't make any sense to me There were muscle injuries to David Raya, who missed one game; Jurrien Timber, who missed five; Kai Havertz who will miss 20 matches by the time the season ends; Gabriel Magalhaes who will miss 12; Riccardo Calafiori who will miss 21. As well as this, Jorginho (chest), William Saliba, Kieran Tierney, Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Thomas Partey (all hamstring), Declan Rice (broken toe), Martin Odegaard (ankle), have spent time out of the team. We haven't finished yet because knee injuries have interrupted or ruined the seasons of Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino. So my question isn't why did Arsenal record a disappointing 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Wednesday? No, the bigger question is, when is the world going to realise the game is being destroyed by FIFA, UEFA and the greedy owners of these football clubs? The bottom line is that too much is being asked of the players. The Premier League season lasts 38 games. Then there is the Community Shield, the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup, the Champions League, and now, as of 2025, a 32-team Club World Cup which will run from June 14 until July 13. Three weeks after the 2024/25 season ends, the 2025/26 campaign begins. That's insane. Where is the opportunity for players to rest? It doesn't exist. The upshot of all this has already been seen by Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City this season. Let's start with City because their season pretty much ended in October. They have been the Premier League's stand-out team in the last seven years, winning six titles in that timeframe. This season they came unstuck. First Rodri got injured, followed by Kevin DeBruyne and finally Erling Haaland. More than that, the entire team experienced physical and mental exhaustion at the same time. No one saw it coming because they had started the year so well, winning seven and drawing two of their opening nine league games to go top. Then fatigue kicked in and their run of form was dreadful, six defeats in eight league games, a defeat in the Carabao Cup, losses in Europe. Now bear in mind they were the best team in the world this time last year; managed by the coach in the world. You don't become a bad team overnight but you do become a tired team when you have FIFA, UEFA bigwigs putting a packed calendar in front of you. Let's look at City's demands over the last three years. They had to play 59 games last year, 61 the year before, 58 the year before that. And because they are always in the running for major honours, all those matches are of high intensity. Eventually the schedule caught up on them. The teams that are suffering the most now and will continue to suffer in the future are Premier League sides. They don't get easy weeks. Crystal Palace may have never won a trophy in their history but they are a fine side. They play with intensity as every Premier League team does. La Liga, Le Ligue and Serie A do not have similar depth. So whereas PSG can cruise to a French title, Arsenal - their Champions League semi-final opponents - don't have that luxury. They have to try and balance going for the first Champions League crown in their history with a genuine battle to be in that same competition next year. Nothing comes easily for them. And results prove that. There was that 2-2 draw with Palace; they also were held home and away by Everton and Brighton; Brentford came to the Emirates and drew; Fulham got a 1-1 draw against them; Bournemouth and Newcastle beat them. If you weren't looking at their situation closely, you'd say they choked under pressure. But they haven't. Their bodies have felt the strain. All those muscular injuries comes from players being overworked. Even Liverpool, who have - comparatively speaking - been fortunate with injuries this season, felt the mental strain of what they do. In Europe, they flopped against PSG, not because they were a bad team but because they were a mentally exhausted one. And their fans have a right to be annoyed by FIFA, by UEFA and by the greedy club owners who are ruining the game. These people don't care about footballers' health. They only care about money. FIFA are not guardians of the game but killers of it. This Club World Cup is a moneymaking farce. The players don't want it nor do they need it. They need a rest not to be catapulted into some Mickey Mouse tournament that exists solely to line the pockets of FIFA - a disgrace of an organisation. They may suggest that players are receiving extraordinary money to play in it but is it worth it if they bodies give up on them? There is now a real possibiity players will go on strike because there is only so much they can do, only so many games they can play at that intense level. So, be worried. This beautiful game of ours could come to an ugly end.
