The lengths we go to…..!

I was interested to see the reaction, or rather over reaction, to the Gary Twigg story last week over his non-appearance in the Bohemians – Shamrock Rovers derby, having seen Rovers putting Twigg forward to promote the game when they knew full well that he would take no part.

Apparently this indiscretion left our friends in the media aghast and very upset. Knowing what hardy souls they really are, I found their reaction a little over the top. All and sundry were gunning for Michael O’Neill after his desperate act of hood winking our journalistic friends.

This got me thinking about the rights and wrongs of this issue and, in greater terms, gamesmanship and the part it plays in professional football. Every manager will have the opposition watched, usually by a trusted scout. We will look at the previous couple of team sheets and the upcoming suspension list as we try and predict the opposition line up.

I, for one, always take with a pinch of salt the list of injuries and doubts provided to the media. In a recent game for Galway away to Dundalk, they listed four major doubts. All four played and we had prepared for all four to play.

So, as supporters, you should take great care in reading your favourite team’s injury news before preparing to watch your team play. Usually, it is all smoke screens and mirrors to try and put the opposition off the scent.

Most managers will know their team selection on a Thursday and have planned accordingly. I for one believe that if you have to give a player a late fitness test, then he is not 100% fit and should not take part unless he is vital to your gameplan, and of course every manager will have his own views on this point.

Gamesmanship, or whatever title you want to put on it, is very much a part of the game. Before and during a game I believe you do whatever you can to give your team an edge.

Certain managers in this league are excellent at playing the refs and ensuring their sides get the little 50/50 decisions during a game. Others get the right sort of media coverage as and when they need it. Some might even try and wind things up a bit. But as soon as the game is over no matter what you feel about the opposition, the other manager or what has gone on before or during the game you should as a professional be respectful of your opposite manager, no matter what the outcome has been.

So was Michael O’Neill wrong to put Twigg forward as part of his duty to promote the game? I believe he was fully justified in what he did. As managers we are inundated with requests for player interviews and photo shoots. In fact, in many cases journalists have player’s numbers and will call them up with out asking the manager.

I am quite sure in this case Rovers were hounded for stories and info - let’s face it this is the biggest derby in the league. Michael’s job is to prepare his team and to make life as difficult as he can for the opposition; by trying to put Bohs off the scent in terms of his team selection he was fully justified.

I am quite sure that what Michael did had no impact on Pat Fenlon’s preparation or his approach to the game. The only crime he has committed was in making the journalists look a wee bit foolish. Of course they would never do the same to a manager or a player.