Billo started in reasonably upbeat mood, putting it to the panel that he refused to believe that this would be a tough match. The Three Wise Men were less convinced.

Liam Brady took on the role of Daedalus, advising Billo that he was flying too close to the floodlights, and sure enough Icarus O'Herlihy had crashed to earth by half-time. "Lads, Ireland are appalling, let's call a spade a spade." The panel though seemed slightly subdued, like people whose spirit had been broken, whose stocks of vitriol and anger had been depleted. Tired of raging about the dying of the light, they clearly just wanted the FAI to change the bulb.

Darragh Maloney and Jim Beglin in the commentary box had caught the ennui bug too, coming across like manic depressive versions of Statler and Waldorf. "It's hard to watch, isn't it?" Jim barely found the will to sigh back, "It is." By the final whistle he concluded the whole affair was "horrible" while Maloney, having swapped his thesaurus for some prozac, commented, "You run out of ways to describe what we've witnessed here." He didn't really need to say any more, nor could he, the chorus of boos from the crowd both saying it all and drowning out his voice.

To digress briefly, the bile unleashed on the likes of Stan, John Delaney and Eddie O'Sullivan in recent weeks has led to hand-wringing in certain circles saying that we live in a culture and society that loves to blame, mock and point the finger. Interesting then to see Keith Wood turn up on Ryan Confidential and give his two cent on the matter.

Gerry Ryan was quizzing him on the flak directed toward the Irish team during the World Cup, particularly after the dismal performance against Georgia, curious on whether these aggressive expectations were fair, before Wood cut him off mid-sentence. "The expectation is right. Ten years ago we had no expectation.

Irrespective of if the performance was any good, and it wasn't, the expectation has lifted to the point where we are more demanding of our teams. And if we want to contend for trophies that expectation has to be high. We can't be the valiant underdogs all the time. And we shouldn't be." Quick, make him Ireland manager now. Not of any team, of the actual country.

Anyway, back to the Croke Park studio, where some maudlin Snow Patrol song was being blasted over the stadium tannoy loud enough to provide a fitting soundtrack for the latest episode of Giles' Anatomy. When Billo dared to mention Stan's four-year plan Dunphy couldn't stop himself yelping, "Stop this nonsense, " while Brady coolly pointed out that plans are no good when the manager clearly isn't learning. Giles then stepped in and trumped them both by denying the existence of four-year plans at all.

He was setting about taking a scalpel to the team's basic lack of preparation when Dunphy pointed out they didn't have time to go through all the team's tactical shortcomings, possibly because it would eat into the time he needed to get a rant off his chest.

"The FAI will lose all credibility unless they bring in a world-class management team. Steve Staunton was a wonderful player and there is nothing wrong with him as a man. The responsibility for this mess the Irish football team is in lies with the FAI.

You can't charge people 70 a ticket and bring them to this magnificent stadium to watch a guy learn a job. The fans were angry tonight and they were right to be, 'cause the wool has been pulled over their eyes."

And with that he left to lead an angry mob with torches towards Merrion Square.

Probably. All that was left was for Billo to sign off with a heavy heart. "Well, I have to say though, it was an extraordinarily depressing night."

Expect all future coverage of Ireland soccer matches to be sponsored by the Samaritans.