Doyle denies rumours

Republic of Ireland ManagerKevin Doyle has laughed off suggestions that Steve Staunton's dismissal as Ireland manager would prompt mass mutiny among his senior players.

In the wake of last week's embarrassing performance in San Marino, reports had suggested a group of players - led by Robbie Keane, Shay Given and Richard Dunne - would quit international football in the event of Staunton being sacked.

All three men are believed to have been dismayed at calls for the former Liverpool defender's head, although none have made their feelings known to John Delaney, the FAI chief executive. That, combined with Doyle's denial yesterday, would appear to scotch any rumours of a walkout.

"It sounds made up," he said. "Obviously decisions like that are personal choices for the individuals involved, but I very much doubt whether anything like that will happen. I think what we are seeing now is the consequences of our results - if we were winning and playing very well, these stories wouldn't surface."

Doyle did not attempt to play down the sense of crisis which has gripped Irish soccer in the last nine days. The Reading forward might owe a debt of gratitude to Staunton, who handed him his first cap against San Marino in November, but he admitted that the manager's lack of experience has exacerbated his current problems.

"It's his first manager's job and when the results and performances aren't going as well as expected, it's inevitable that people are going to jump on his back," he added.

"I'd say that the pressure on the Irish manager is now much worse than on the England manager. The scrutiny is very intense and it puts managers in a very hard position. To be fair, it's not a job that I would want.

"But Steve has a lot of experience as a player and he will have felt the pressure that comes with playing for Ireland, so he will know how to ride it out.

"He didn't need that result in San Marino. We expected to win by more goals and a draw would have been a disaster, but sometimes things like that can be the making of you. He will want that game to make both himself and us, as players, stronger."

Doyle was spared the indignity of Serravalle courtesy of a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old was kept up to date on Ireland's progress, or lack of it, via mobile phone and was bracing himself for a merciless reception from his Reading team-mates when Stephen Ireland pounced deep into stoppage time to salvage a scrap of pride.

"I was desperate to play against San Marino because I hoped to get a few goals under my belt, but maybe it was better for me to miss out, given the reaction to the result." he said.

"But a win is a win and in 10 years' time, people will look at the three points and nothing else. We've still got a chance of qualification and that's what we should focus on."