"And I understand that not all type of managers like all type of players. I totally understand that and I just thought a top, top class manager would have handled it a different way and would have been more of a man about it really than the way that he went about it."
Those were the words of Andy Reid on Off The Ball on Wednesday night when he discussed his exclusion by Giovanni Trapattoni from the Ireland international fold for five years after 2008.
John Giles was on the show tonight and he gave his take on what Reid had to say.
"Well I can understand him being upset but when he said 'I think all the other top class managers would have handled it differently', I wouldn't be too sure about that," he said, adding that many managers can be ruthless when dealing with players.
"All managers are different. Some are not sensitive to things like that. He obviously didn't fancy Andy Reid as a player and he comes from the old school don't forget, Trapattoni. He wouldn't think that he'd have to be nicey-nicey about it.
"I think it's wrong. I think you can still leave players out and do it in a dignified way. But a lot of the great managers wouldn't. A lot of the great managers would have what they would regard as a ruthlessness. They wouldn't care about the feelings. I don't think Alex Ferguson would have been very sensitive with lots of players that we can look back on like Stam and Beckham."
John also welcomed referees in the Premier League beginning to clamp down on pulling and grabbing opponents when defending, with Manchester City's win over Stoke City featuring two penalties for the same offence.
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