Sean O'Driscoll

[Chris]

Today I came across an interview with Sean O'Driscoll in the Irish Independent. As far as I'm aware, this is the first interview in which Sean O'Driscoll has discussed his exit from our club. I've pasted the relevant part of the interview below for those who don't want to read the entire interview.

That it lasted only six months was a shock, not only to O'Driscoll, but also to Forest fans. When he was appointed at Bristol City, Forest fans wrote to the City website saying how ashamed they were of the treatment given to him, and saying how lucky City were to have appointed such a good manager.

O'Driscoll takes a more philosophical approach. "That's football," is his response. "You can't do anything about it. I spent five years at Doncaster and got treated abysmally. I got them into the Championship, won their first trophy and kept them in the division for three years. They have a right to change the manager, but they should honour the contract. I did. I could have gone to a Premier club and other clubs. Then they decide to change the manager and I had to fight five months for them to honour my contract, which was a disgraceful way to treat me. At least Forest honoured my contract."

I was obviously quite disappointed and embarrassed to read this about our club. Was this information public knowledge prior to the interview which I have just missed? I'd also like throw a question out there regarding Gavin Baldwin; do we think that O'Driscoll's dismissal would have been handled in such a manner if Mr Baldwin had been at the club at the time?

The full interview can be found at http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/as-manager-you-get-ultimate-control-and-cant-blame-anyone-29150415.html

[RoversAlias]

Sounds about right. This is how it seemed to be happening at the time and it is a great shame as O'Driscoll is one of the greatest people to ever manage this club. His dismissal was done in a disgraceful manner.

[StocktonRover]

No matter how it was handled from a media perspective - it wasn't before time.

Why this obsession with someone who did really well for the club but lost his way and was quite rightly dismissed after an abysmal spell.

Look at the now - its quite good........

[silent majority]

Its a debate that seems to be going on forever. But lets not forget he was attending interviews at other clubs whilst he was with us, is that in the right spirit of anybody's contract?

[Chris]

No matter how it was handled from a media perspective - it wasn't before time.

Why this obsession with someone who did really well for the club but lost his way and was quite rightly dismissed after an abysmal spell.

Look at the now - its quite good........

This thread was intended to be about the manner in which we dismissed him. It's nothing to do with the decision to change managers as I think we've all had our say on that.

[Chris]

Its a debate that seems to be going on forever. But lets not forget he was attending interviews at other clubs whilst he was with us, is that in the right spirit of anybody's contract?

Does that break any terms in a manager's contract? Genuine question as I don't know. I always thought that a manager must have permission from his club before attending an interview/discussion about a job vacancy.

[MachoMadness]

I agree the time was probably right for him to go but yeah, there are ways of doing these things and we did it the wrong way. Absolutely embarrassing situation for the club, disgraceful. And not like SO'D to air his dirty laundry either, so clearly it hurt him.

[silent majority]

Its a debate that seems to be going on forever. But lets not forget he was attending interviews at other clubs whilst he was with us, is that in the right spirit of anybody's contract?

Does that break any terms in a manager's contract? Genuine question as I don't know. I always thought that a manager must have permission from his club before attending an interview/discussion about a job vacancy.

But I didn't use the word break though Chris, I said is it in the right spirit?

Yes, he did have permission, but after the interview at the Blades we never did anything and literally plummeted. That was our demise.

[RoversAlias]

Its a debate that seems to be going on forever. But lets not forget he was attending interviews at other clubs whilst he was with us, is that in the right spirit of anybody's contract?

Does that break any terms in a manager's contract? Genuine question as I don't know. I always thought that a manager must have permission from his club before attending an interview/discussion about a job vacancy.

But I didn't use the word break though Chris, I said is it in the right spirit?

Yes, he did have permission, but after the interview at the Blades we never did anything and literally plummeted. That was our demise.

You make it seem like O'Driscoll is the only man ever to go for an interview at a new club. I don't fully get behind what SOD said in that part of the interview as regards honouring the contract, and I see what you're saying but I don't think anybody can justifiably defend the club when it comes to this matter. I wouldn't expect any manager to be treated that way by DRFC and certainly not one of the most successful gaffers we ever had.

It was extremely poor and in my view a showcase of JR letting slip how he can really operate at times.

[Filo]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

[The L J Monk]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

[Spud]

Forest didn't publicly back him 3 days earlier though or take an age to pay him out.
It was an embarrassing time to be a fan tbh and yeah, we may well have moved on now but whilever there are un-answered questions about his exit articles like this will spark an interest.

[Filo]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

[The L J Monk]

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

5 months is a long time for a settlement to be agreed.

[hoolahoop]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Must have been done correctly then because he was obviously happy to be on 'gardening leave' wasn't he Filo ? Just why would he feel so badly about it then!
Five months to sort out a settlement does appear to be a ridiculous amount of time.

[Filo]

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

5 months is a long time for a settlement to be agreed.

Yes, but he was getting paid, i.e. his contract was being honoured

[Dagenham Rover]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Thats my take on what happened Filo, i.e. He was getting his normal wages untill the settlement was agreed, If DRFC wanted to pay him his normal wage every month till his contract ended thats DRFC's perogative and they can insist he doesn't take employment anywhere else, however if he wants to take employment elsewhere a mutually acceptable agreement needs reaching.

Blimey I wish I had a contract that said if I get sacked  they would pay me off

[Filo]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Must have been done correctly then because he was obviously happy to be on 'gardening leave' wasn't he Filo ? Just why would he feel so badly about it then!

You tell me, maybe the fact that it was the first time he`d been sacked upset him a tad

[hoolahoop]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Thats my take on what happened Filo, i.e. He was getting his normal wages untill the settlement was agreed, If DRFC wanted to pay him his normal wage every month till his contract ended thats DRFC's perogative and they can insist he doesn't take employment anywhere else, however if he wants to take employment elsewhere a mutually acceptable agreement needs reaching.

Blimey I wish I had a contract that said if I get sacked  they would pay me off

It meant he was out of the game he so obviously loves. Just why does everyone think that everyone is motivated by money alone. Clearly here that was not the case otherwise he wouldn't have such rancour re. the events at that time.

[hoolahoop]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Must have been done correctly then because he was obviously happy to be on 'gardening leave' wasn't he Filo ? Just why would he feel so badly about it then!

You tell me, maybe the fact that it was the first time he`d been sacked upset him a tad

True to some extent and tbf we haven't really heard both sides of the story.

[Bristol Red Rover]

It'd be interesting to hear the other side of the story. I'm not saying he was treated fairly, we don't know, but he does say:

They have a right to change the manager, but they should honour the contract. I did. I could have gone to a Premier club and other clubs.

So he didn't go because he wanted to honour the contract? If that were so, why would he go for an interview. It doesn't add up. This gives a hint of him not being wholly upfront, stretching the truth etc and thus taints the whole of his story, imo.

[Dagenham Rover]

Forest treat him bad and he`s philosophical about it, we sack him and he`s whining, sounds like a very bitter man to me!

He doesn't say anything about being treated badly by Forest. In fact, he's quite reflective about being sacked by them, and appreciates it's part and parcel of the game.

His gripe is with the fact that he had a contract with Rovers. The contract was terminated, but he had to fight for his severance pay, which, presumably, he was contractually obliged to.

He was on gardening leave, getting paid for doing nothing while his contract settlement was agreed

Thats my take on what happened Filo, i.e. He was getting his normal wages untill the settlement was agreed, If DRFC wanted to pay him his normal wage every month till his contract ended thats DRFC's perogative and they can insist he doesn't take employment anywhere else, however if he wants to take employment elsewhere a mutually acceptable agreement needs reaching.

Blimey I wish I had a contract that said if I get sacked  they would pay me off

It meant he was out of the game he so obviously loves. Just why does everyone think that everyone is motivated by money alone. Clearly here that was not the case otherwise he wouldn't have such rancour re. the events at that time.

I'm not actually saying  he was motivated by money, however  Donny were paying his wages while on gardening leave and as his employers its their decision.
Tbh I'm a bit surprised he's suddenly started coming out with it all I'm sure there would be a "keep yer gob shut " clause was in there somewhere....................mind you wasn't Dangerous Dave still about at that point   

[Chris Black come back]

Managers come, managers go - even great managers like O'Driscoll. You have got to back John Ryan though. Very rare he doesn't do exactly the right thing by the club. Can't really say he did bad by O'Driscoll either, what with letting him speak to all and sundry while under contract.

[DearneValleyRover]

I would counter argue with Mr. O'Driscoll that after not getting the Blades job he didn't stick to his contract with us due to having no interest in managing our team as the results and his demeanor showed.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I'll never be able to figure out O'Driscoll. He's a bag of contradictions.

The one that sticks in my mind is when Heffernan left at the end of his contract. O'Driscoll insisted that he had offered a new contract and Heffernan turned it down. NewtonJoe on here who was good mates with Heffernan from the Old Country flatly denied this. And to be honest, why on earth WOULD O'Driscoll offer a contract to a player that he had discarded for 18 of the previous 24 months. But then, why lie about such an issue?

Strange one.

[pubteam]

And he wasn't exactly "treated abysmally" for the five years he was here, was he? I don't think he could've asked for better backing from JR and the fans (Jan '08 onwards).

[donnyallday]

SOD  never rated Heffs from day 1 in my opinion.

Bad chemistry or something

[DonnyBazR0ver]

No. Just a good judge !!

[The L J Monk]

No. Just a good judge !!

Oh no.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Well. Now we've rattled the skeleton yet again, I thought I might as well rattle another!!

FFS we know there wasn't an amicable parting of the waves but we can't do anything about it no matter how much we admired Shaun, so why keep churning over it?