Soccer: Staunton to lean on old hand Sir Bobby

Steve Staunton was presented as the new manager of the Republic of Ireland and immediately asked what kind of football the country would play under him.

"The brand that will bamboozle the opposition," came the dry reply from the former defender, 37 this week, and who, despite his wealth of experience, with a record 102 caps, is as green as the shirt he used to wear when it comes to management.

However, the only confusion was where Sir Bobby Robson - who described himself as "an old head, a mentor" and has been named "consultant" - fits into it all.

Staunton stressed that Robson, who started his managerial career in 1969, the year the new incumbent was born, was his choice and that "the buck stops with me".

When asked exactly what the former England manager's role would be Staunton was less emphatic. Will Robson be in the dug-out? "We will have to wait and see, won't we," he said. Will he take a hands-on role in training? "Who knows."

The appointments have not been widely welcomed in Ireland, where the public had been led to expect, following Brian Kerr's departure, a more seasoned manager.

Ireland's new team - with Aston Villa coach and former Liverpool midfielder Kevin MacDonald as Staunton's No 2 and Alan Kelly looking after the goalkeepers - will stand or fall by results.

The Irish hope the new "Staunton-Robson axis" will work in the way Kenny Dalglish used Bob Paisley for advice when he took over at Liverpool.

That was something Staunton witnessed as a player. "I liked what I saw. I see Bobby in the same role.

"This man here is going to be sick to death of my voice on the phone because it's when games are over that I'm going to pick this man's brains."

If Robson is confined to distant adviser, it would be a shame. His enthusiasm, despite being 73 next month, is boundless and, privately, he's dismayed it has not been harnessed by England's FA. "I always knew there was another job in me," said Robson.

Robson revealed he had been urged by Jack Charlton to take a post with Ireland, but had not applied to be manager.

"I'm sure I should call him 'boss' and I will. I know my role. I'm not jealous of him, I don't want his job. I will suggest things. I'm not going to come in and be a dummy."

Staunton, despite having played with many of the current Irish squad, such as Shay Given, who's expected to be named captain, said he had no problem putting distance between himself and his new charges.

"It's easy for me to tell someone what to do," Staunton said, though he conceded, "I might be a bit naive in what I might say."

New players will be added - not least Manchester City's Stephen Ireland, who previously absented himself because of a feud with Kerr, and Bolton Wanderers' Joey O'Brien.

Staunton refused to criticise the old regime but the mantra of the day - passion, team spirit, belief, cohesion and desire, "something we want to bring back" - was an indictment of the mess left by Kerr.

Staunton will trawl Britain for players of Irish descent, taking advantage of the so-called "granny rule", exploited widely by Charlton.

"As a small nation we have all had uncles and aunts who have moved away and why shouldn't their kids be proud to play for this country?"

Staunton was released by Walsall where he was a player-coach to take up a four-year contract, worth around £400,000 ($1 million) a year.

The deal is a sign of the faith the Football Association of Ireland has in him - and an admission that they have dropped to fourth seeds for the new European Championship campaign, and the 2010 World Cup may be a more realistic target.

- INDEPENDENT