The future of RTE’s soccer pundit John Giles remains up in the air this morning after the former Republic Of Ireland international admitted last night that the state broadcaster have dropped him from the panel for the remainder of the Republic Of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifiers.
The former Leeds United and Republic Of Ireland international confirmed the news whilst speaking on his regular Thursday night interview on Newstalk’s Off The Ball programme. Giles told listeners that he would not appear on the panel on Saturday for Ireland’s crucial qualifier against Scotland, Giles further stated that he is not sure wether or not he will appear for the rest of Ireland’s qualifiers after he confirmed that he recently just fulfilled his contractual obligations with RTÉ.
Giles spoke of how he would have liked to appear on the panel for Saturday’s match saying: “I made it very, very clear that I was available and I wanted to do the match. There is a contractual situation where I’m contracted to do a certain amount of matches and I have fulfilled the obligation for those matches,” “I was prepared to do an extra match, and made it clear there was no extra payment for that.”
Meanwhile Giles fellow pundits, Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy have expressed their disappointment with RTE’s decision, saying it would’nt be the same without John. However Giles has strongly denied suggestions that the decision to replace him on Saturday was as a result of a contractual mix-up, Giles also said he would have liked a call from RTÉ’s Head of Sport Ryle Nugent to clarify the situation.
Giles closed by saying he was extremely dissappointed that he won’t be appearing on air on Saturday evening, saying: “I’m very disappointed. It’s one of the biggest games we’ve had in recent times,” said Giles.“I would have liked to get a call from the (RTÉ’s) Head of Sport to explain to me what the situation is.” “It’s a match I’d love to do and I’m not doing it.”