STEPHEN J. KELLY,
Sir, - Surely it is time to give credit to the manager of our national team, Mick McCarthy, for his exceptional achievements to date:
1. Qualification for the World Cup through one of the most difficult groups.
2. Responsible and brave decision-making in the R.K. affair.
3. Perceptive tactical decisions during each of our three matches in Japan to secure a place in the knock-out stages.
It is obvious that the team's commitment to their manager as a result of the foregoing is absolute, and his leadership is without question.
Last 16. Last eight? ????? - Yours, etc.,
STEPHEN J. KELLY,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
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A chara, - Hats off to Mick and his team: they've scored more goals so far in this World Cup finals than our combined tally in our two previous outings. France and Argentina's departure is proof that good management is more important than star players. - Is mise,
PADDY HAYES,
Na Forbacha,
Co na Gaillimhe.
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Sir, - Am I the only one who think's that Ireland's spirit is because of Roy Keane's absence, not despite it? Gary Breen's performance is the testimony to that. - Yours, etc.,
PAT CONNEELY,
Cedarwood Road,
Dublin 11.
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Sir, - We have witnessed two of the most memorable occasions in Irish football, with events comparable to the great days of the Charlton era.
Thank goodness we have the BBC and ITV with Andy Townsend, Martin O'Neill and even Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to get behind our Irish team with the same passion and enthusiasm as everyone in Ireland - except, of course, the RTE "panel". The UK channels have also been spot-on in their analyses of the excellence of the Irish performances by judging them in the context of this, the world's ultimate football competition, contested by world football's élite.
By contrast, all we get from RTÉ and Dunphy, Giles and Co is the usual, tired old whinging and begrudging, served up as "expert analysis". Why don't they follow Roy's lead and just go home? - Yours, etc.,
PATRICK McCLEERY,
Beaulieu,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
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Sir, - Better late than never, I have to convey my compliments to Kevin Myers on his Irishman's Diary of June 5th. It conveyed my sentiments exactly. I hope he sent a copy to Mr Dunphy. - Yours, etc.,
GEORGE BEGG,
Navan,
Co Meath.