It won’t just be the presence of a former judo champion which means Martin O’Neill will have “no fear” today. But do not mistake that for a lack of respect for Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger.
IT is Sunderland’s form, not the presence of hired muscle in the dugout, which allows Martin O’Neill to promise there will be “no fear” when he comes up against one of his managerial arch-enemies this afternoon.
The Black Cats play the first of successive home games against Arsenal today.
The Gunners’ focus will be the match sandwiching them, at Milan in the Champions League, but it is not just his ropey recent record on Wearside which should ensure a pumped-up Arsène Wenger.
O’Neill and Wenger have history. In 2008-09 they had to be separated on the touchline after the Frenchman took exception to what he saw as John Robertson’s attempt to influence the referee.
Wenger’s disdain for his opposite number’s approach is not mutual.
While O’Neill has felt “appallingly insulted” by Wenger in the past, he is not expecting to need the services of 1990 Scottish judo champion Jim Henry – at least not as his minder.
He may be a relative latecomer, but head of performance Henry is a valued member of Team O’Neill.
With their many idiosyncrasies, it is a team of endearing eccentrics – from the Jack-in-a-box manager who insisted on a Sunderland rugby shirt with the number 31 on it (why, he still has not told us) for his first game, to Steve Walford, donning sawn-off tracksuit bottoms no matter the temperatures, to ukulele-playing goalkeeping coach Seamus McDonagh.
They are often seen as an old-school bunch but Henry, a former athletics coach who missed the 1990 Commonwealth Games through injury, has brought the appliance of science.
O’Neill said: “I have known him since I inherited him at Celtic.
“He was as fit if not fitter than most of the players and I attach great importance to him. He has been terrific for me.
“Football is not his background, it was in martial arts so I would not want to tackle him.
“I have tended to agree with him most of the time but he has been absolutely fantastic.
