Journalist in Keane row apologises for 'tired' TV showing

Eamon Dunphy, who provoked the wrath of the Irish by expressing his hope that the national team be knocked out of the World Cup, has been suspended by the country's state broadcaster for appearing drunk on television.

Dunphy, the author of Only a Game, an acclaimed account of the last season of his playing career at Millwall, has since become one of Ireland's best known – and controversial – journalists and broadcasters.

His World Cup campaign began in typically robust style when he acted as the public defender of Roy Keane, the Irish captain who was sent home from the Far East after a bust-up with the national team's manager, Mick McCarthy.

But he went too far on Sunday when, booked to provide commentary on the Japan-Russia match for RTE at midday, he sat slumped in his chair for much of the pre-match panel discussion.

When he did speak, RTE's switchboard was jammed with complaints that he was slurring. At the half-time studio broadcast Dunphy, who also presents Ireland's version of The Weakest Link, was gone.

RTE said it had suspended Dunphy because of his failure to meet his contractual obligations to provide World Cup analysis. Dunphy, who is Ireland's highest-paid journalist, was expected to meet the station's head of sport last night, but he is likely to miss this morning's match between Ireland and Saudi Arabia.

Dunphy, who was arrested for drink-driving last year, said: "I arrived for work tired and emotional, I think is the euphemism, and I was tired.

"I'd had a few drinks, I hadn't slept and I think I wasn't fit to fulfil my contract to provide proper commentary, and RTE did the right thing. I owe them an apology. I owe the viewers an apology."

For many Irish fans, Dunphy's contrition will not compensate for his refusal to back down after saying 10 days ago that he hoped Ireland would lose and come home early. Dunphy, who is writing Roy Keane's biography, said after the Republic's opening 1-1 draw with Cameroon that he would support Germany and Saudi Arabia against Ireland.

Only if Ireland lost, he said, would sufficient public anger be directed against its management for its treatment of Keane, sacked after bitterly abusing McCarthy. RTE's switchboard had an unprecedented 1,300 calls, most "rather critical" of Dunphy, a spokesman for the broadcaster said.