Robson says media coverage of Staunton's reign has been unfair

Republic of Ireland v Cyprus
Croke Park
Wednesday, 17 October
Kick-off: 1930 BST
Coverage on BBC Radio 5live & the BBC Sport website

Sir Bobby Robson has vigorously defended Republic of Ireland boss Steve Staunton, demanding his critics give him a break.

The Republic's hopes of Euro 2008 qualification are almost certainly over but Robson says Staunton has "learned a lot" in his 21 months in charge.

"I don't think he's making mistakes, and is it the public or the media who remain unconvinced?" said Robson.

"Is it the media who are persuading the public to think that way?"

Robson acknowledges there have been poor performances, notably in Cyprus a year ago when the Republic were embarrassed 5-2.

Then in February against San Marino, the Irish scraped a 2-1 win courtesy of a late winner from Stephen Ireland.

If you are destructive, unfair, unreasonable, unintelligent, I don't want to know you Sir Bobby Robson

But the 74-year-old feels Staunton is learning all the time, and with experience now on his side, he will be a stronger, improved manager.

"If you are intelligent, constructive, fair and reasonable, then I'll go along with you.

"But if you are destructive, unfair, unreasonable, unintelligent, I don't want to know you.

"The fans read the papers, listen to their radios and watch their televisions, and the media can be very persuasive people.

"He (Staunton) has been in the job nearly two years, and it takes that time to get to know the job, and it's his first in management.

"He has not had it like I did at Ipswich; 14 years of experience, of going into Europe. Stan came into it new, blind if you like.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on Steve Staunton's Republic reign to date

"But he is a better man-manager now than he was two years ago."

Ireland need to win their final two matches and the Czechs to lose their remaining three in order to qualify for Euro 2008.

But Robson maintains the displays have been respectable.

"Aside from Cyprus when we got a thrashing - one we shouldn't have had - and San Marino when we nearly had another shock, in the other eight games I feel we've given decent performances and come close to getting maximum points," he said.

"We only got one point from the games in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. On another visit, and playing similarly, we possibly could have picked up four."