Video: Noel King’s confrontational post-match interview with Tony O’Donoghue on RTE

http://youtu.be/bbd3GObHCds

Interim Ireland boss Ireland manager was happy with the victory over Kazakhstan this evening, but he wasn’t happy with some of Tony O’Donoghue’s questions about the team’s approach.

In their final World Cup qualifier and what could well be King’s last game in charge, Ireland emerged 3-1 winners over Kazakhstan in a game that was a non-event for the most part and was lacking in atmosphere due to the poor crowd at the Aviva Stadium.

After the game, RTE’s Tony O’Donoghue interviewed King and asked him some questions about Ireland’s approach on the night, most notably the use of Anthony Stokes and Kevin Doyle on the wings and their lack of impact when compared to Aiden McGeady’s instant impression when coming off the bench.

King took issue with O’Donoghue’s questions, feeling that there was an implied criticism of Doyle and Stokes and he wasn’t shy about showing it either, leading to a pretty uncomfortable couple of minutes of television with a tension that didn’t really need to exist considering that, by and large, the game was fairly meaningless.

The interview sparked plenty of debate amongst the RTE panel afterwards, with Darragh Maloney trying to stick up for King to counterbalance criticism coming from messrs Giles, Sadlier and Dunphy, who thought that his reaction was immature, with Dunphy, unsurprisingly vocalising that opinion more forcefully than his colleagues.

So what do you think? Was King’s reaction a little over the top or did the RTE panel go a little too far with their criticism of a man who is only keeping the seat warm for the next Irish manager?

Feel free to let us know in the comment box below.

Video via YouTube/Ivannasee Somebutts

Hat-tip: Balls.ie