“The scenario for Waterford football at present is catastrophic. For our first game in the league, we will be without nine of last season’s championship starting side. The whole thing is like a nightmare.”
– Downcast Waterford football manager John Kiely on trying to deal with his dilapidated resources heading into the National League.
“I know there has been contact by clubs. Maybe some people need to go to church on Sunday and go to confession.”
– Wantaway Reading striker Stephen Hunt suggests his employers haven’t been entirely honest in claiming they received no bids for him during the January transfer window. His manager Steve Coppell swears they didn’t and, with the exit door closed, the Clonea man now says “Everything is cool”… verging on frosty perhaps?
“I was so excited last night I couldn’t sleep.”
– Shay Given on joining Man City. After more than 11 years at Newcastle, sleepless nights should be nothing new. He could be an insomniac yet. (If Charles N’Zognbia’s reading, no offence meant.)
“Just having the Celtic strip on is an absolute dream. It could be No 99 for all I care.”
– Willo Flood on being handed Roy Keane’s old ‘16′ shirt. Hopefully the diminutive midfielder will last a bit longer at Parkhead.
“In these recessionary times, fans who would have previously spent large amounts of money travelling across channel to experience live football should now be targeted by Irish clubs.”
– FAI chief exec’ John Delaney, son of former Waterford FC chairman Joe and an ex-Blues director and secretary himself, suggested that the League of Ireland could profit from the economic downturn. There are ways of looking at everything, I guess.
“I would like to think that Christy Cooney would be able to hand over a trophy to a Cork team during his presidency, the same as Nicky Brennan was able to do with Kilkenny.”
– LRC chairman Kieran Mulvey, who helped resolve the last Rebel row. Well, the President-elect might have to get his hands dirty first between now and April, instead of pretending it’s not his problem.
