Staunton hails 'fighting spirit'

Steve Staunton is adamant he has the FAI's full support despite tonight's hugely disappointing and embarrassing performance in San Marino.

Expected to ease past their part-time opponents, Staunton's high-earners slumped to a frustrating 2-1 win at the Serravalle Stadium.

The win was only secured deep in injury time when Manchester City's Stephen Ireland poked home in a goalmouth scramble.

Having cruised past the same opponents 5-0 at Lansdowne Road in November, and witnessed Germany and the Czech Republic do likewise, the performance was simply inexcusable.
 
Three points was always the target, but the sluggish manner in which the team achieved them has left a sour taste that is sure to spark another backlash against the manager, the players and the FAI.

"It's three points," Staunton said.  "Tremendous fighting spirit, we controlled the game from start to finish.  But we were sloppy at the back.

"We should have been three or four up at half-time but we didn't take our chances.  We need to be more ruthless in front of goal.

"We're all frustrated, none more so than me.  But we're third in the table and looking forward to two great games in Croke Park.  What more can I say, we had four great chances at the end.  Thankfully we got one.  Tremendous spirit."

When asked if he felt he had the FAI's full backing, Staunton said:  "No question, yes."

"San Marino are going to develop as the group goes on, we knew that. But we had six or seven chances to win the game comfortably but didn't take them.  But we've three points and we're delighted."

The team's performance was lethargic throughout and for long spells smacked of the debacle in Cyprus.

Indeed, the players lacked urgency, bite and penetration.  Too many let themselves down.  Scoring chances were often carved out but time and again squandered at the death with dreadful finishing.

Kevin Kilbane, who scored Ireland's opener early in the second half only to see it cancelled out three minutes from time after a defensive mix-up, admitted the players failed to perform.

"Very disappointing indeed," he said.  "We got the fright of our lives tonight.  We've got to learn a lot from it.  We didn't pass well at all. It would have been nice to score more goals tonight but we didn't and the horrendous mistake at the back nearly cost us dear.

"With performances like that the public wont be happy, we know that.  We're not happy ourselves.  We have a lot of improving to do.

The Wigan midfielder was quick to deflect criticism away from his manager who is now certain to face a fresh wave of criticism.

"It's the players," Kilbane offered.  "We're the ones who have to go out there and play and give a good account of ourselves and we just didn't do that tonight.  We didn't do him (Staunton) or ourselves credit.

"It's a win and that's the only thing we can take from the game tonight."