MICHAEL Conlan has had his say on the part Billy Walsh’s absence has played in Ireland’s below-par performance at the Olympics, branding such talk “very annoying”.
Along with Conlan’s father John, interim head coach Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger have stepped into the breach since Walsh left to take charge of the American boxing team last November.
And the reigning orld bantamwweight champion believes it is “a series of unfortunate events” that have hampered Ireland’s medal hopes, rather than Walsh’s departure.
He said: “I don’t think Billy’s loss is the USA’s gain.
“It’s so silly what they’re saying, ‘bring back Billy Walsh’. Zaur Antia has been the man and always will be the man.
“He has always been the main coach and always will be the main coach.
“Billy is a great friend of mine, yes, but Zaur has been the technical genius. He is unreal in the ring. Everything that he says is right and everything you hear him shouting, when you do it, it works.”
Team USA are enjoying an impressive Olympic Games so far, with flyweight Nico Hernandez ending a men’s medal drought that extended back to 2004 while the Americans have several other fighters still involved in the final week of competition.
Many have been keen to attribute this upturn in fortunes to Walsh, but Conlan isn’t so sure.
He added: “I think the Americans getting medals is more because of the style right now. It’s a professional style.
“When Billy was coaching us, Billy was always boxing. Billy hasn’t just become a professional expert. People giving the Irish boxing coaches stick is very annoying, for the boxers and for the coaches.
“It’s adding pressure, unneeded pressure, on.
“Ireland are meant to be behind their own but they seem to be against their own coaches, which is a bit stupid, to be honest.”
