Collins scandal rocks Ireland

By Aidan Fitzmaurice

Not many managers would walk out on a club on the morning of a big match and join their relegation rivals with only three games left in the season. But not many managers are like Roddy Collins, whose move from Dublin City FC to Shamrock Rovers FC has provided the shock of the season in the Republic of Ireland.

Controversial figure
Collins, older brother of former world boxing champion Steve Collins, has always attracted publicity. He famously criticised the board of Bohemian FC just minutes after leading them to their first league title in 23 years - an outburst that ultimately cost him his job.

City arrival
At English club Carlisle United AFC, his relationship with his players was tempestuous, and when he was hired by Dublin City in July, his first act was to place 13 players on the transfer list and bring in big-name imports like Carlton Palmer and Efan Ekoku.

Ordinary meeting
When Collins walked into the office of City chief executive Ronan Seery last Thursday morning, Seery presumed he wanted to have a chat about that night's game against Drogheda United FC - a match rock-bottom City desperately needed to win.

Shock announcement
Instead, the 44-year-old said he was quitting and four hours later he was officially named as the new Rovers boss - a surprise in itself, considering his long association with their fiercest rivals, Bohemians, as supporter, player and manager.

'It's unethical'
The move infuriated Seery, as Rovers were City's main rivals in the dogfight to avoid the sole relegation place in the Premier Division this season. "It's the lowest thing I have ever seen in football," he said. "To come and take a manager from your rivals with three games to go is a terrible thing to do, it's unethical from Rovers."

Official action
Seery has asked the Football Association of Ireland to investigate Rovers' actions and take sanctions against them for poaching their manager. Meanwhile, the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland has called for the transfer window preventing players from moving clubs in the last six weeks of the campaign to be extended to managers as a result of the controversy.

Players hurt
City's players, meanwhile, were hurt by Collins's departure, as he had told them after a win away to Derry City FC just five days before that they could stay up, at the expense of Rovers. "I have heard of rats leaving a sinking ship but not the captain," said an unnamed player.

Bad results
The whole affair had a bad effect on both clubs: Dublin City lost their match against Drogheda while 24 hours later Collins's debut as Rovers boss ended in defeat when his old team Bohemians claimed a 1-0 victory.

Final showdown
The odds are against City staying up. They need to win their three remaining games to have a chance of survival, but it could come down to the last match of the season, in which case Collins would meet his former club in a straight play-off for relegation.

'No sentiment'
"It could go down to the last day of the season but I'm prepared for that," said Collins. "It's no problem, I've seen it before. I hope it doesn't come down to the last day of the season, but it's only a game of football. I don't care. There's no sentiment in my life."