Controversial pundit Eamon Dunphy has suggested Martin O’Neill’s tactics in yesterday’s defeat to Denmark prove that he is no longer the man for the job.
In hard hitting comments that are sure to divide Irish fans the former Millwall player suggested that while O’Neill had proved himself a ’formidable manger’ the question was whether or not he remained a good manager.
"The evidence is that he isn’t", Dunphy said on 2fm’s Game On.
"The two on one at the corner-kick (for Denmark’s first goal) was unforgivable.
"Taking off two holding players at half-time and put on Aiden McGeady and Wes Hoolahan... Why was David Meyler taken off?
"He’s making too many errors.
Dunphy, a long time advocate of Wes Hoolahan, suggested not starting the Norwich player was another mistake.
"Wes Hoolahan became a big cause but look at the symbolism of last night.
"He didn’t start him. He didn’t start him on Saturday night.
He went on : "If we had had him on the pitch when we were 1-0 up, we wouldn’t have lost control of the game as easily as we did because we would have had the ball more.
"You have to have the ball. Martin O’Neill clearly doesn’t see that as a priority and he’s wrong."
"We can come back again" - A defiant Martin O'Neill speaks to @corktod after a "really tough" night for his Irish team #irlden #rtesoccer pic.twitter.com/0OaGVwle6t
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) November 14, 2017
Meanwhile Martin O’Neill is now odds-on with the bookmakers to leave his job before Christmas.
Ladbrokes have odds of 3/4 that he will leave the job before Christmas, with his assistant manager Roy Keane 2/5 to follow suit.