John Riordan
CORK CITY captain Dan Murray has always led the Rebel Army Revolution Division with a sense of reluctant duty; a subtle mix of enthusiasm and embarrassment.
So whoever organised this morning’s show of opposition against club owner (and former chairman) Tom Coughlan pulled a mini-PR masterstroke when placing by the skipper’s side club secretary Jerry Harris, a man of stoic loyalty to Cork football.
Strength in numbers was the order of the day. The five-man top table also had employment lawyer, John Boylan (“the worst (case) I've ever seen”), goalkeeper Mark McNulty and mild-mannered midfielder Cillian Lordan.
In the makeshift gallery, behind and to the right of the sizeable posse of hacks, at least ten other players and staff kept themselves to themselves. Chief among those offering support was left back Danny Murphy, another player who knows well he’d raise a tut from his superiors if seen anywhere near the action area.
Even the location itself – the Maryborough House Hotel – had complementary echoes of another famous player strike down around this way.
And as the screw turns on Coughlan, he will no doubt grimace at the large swathe of people with whom the players tactically aligned themselves in a ten-part statement made on behalf of all staff at the club except manager Roddy Collins - the word 'manager' scratched out in the two page press release handed to those present.
Top of the list were the “loyal supporters”. No doubt it was from the heart but handy to have the most vocal group onside from the get-go.
Next came the beleaguered creditors, the local businessmen and women for whom Cork City has become a swear word.
They were followed closely by former colleagues who still feel they are owed compensation. The club doctor was next for a shout-out – when you have your health etc.
Number five was the, admittedly inanimate, club licence; the polar bear of footballing bureaucracy.
Training requirements and an unpaid physiotherapist finished sixth on the list of gripes while the sponsors trailed in just behind.
What could be loosely described as morale-damaging court appearances got a hefty mention at number eight.
And just before another inanimate object, the bouncing cheque round off the rundown of gripes, there was the most overtly political manoeuvre of all as the players and staff bemoaned “constant conflict with the Football Association of Ireland whose sanctions against Mr Coughlan we totally support”.
All leaving one almost completely isolated soul: Tom Coughlan.
