The nowhere man and his missing fans

CONOR McGREGOR is the man who wasn’t there.

He continues to consume attention like Pacman, but it’s been a long time since he featured in the sports pages.

The closest he has come to a sporting story in recent weeks was his appearance with puffy-faced autocrat Vladimir Putin at the World Cup final.

It was accompanied by typical McGregor nonsense, which revealed his political antennae are as hopelessly misaligned as the ones that should detect immodesty and offensive claptrap.

But as a figure of relevance in sport, it’s been a long time since McGregor (below) registered. It’s 11 months since he boxed Floyd Mayweather, an event that many would contest was a credible sporting event at all. Doubters, like this one, could be dismissed by his champions – if they hadn’t all disappeared. So, where are they now?

A year ago, in the leadup to the Mayweather fight, they were comparing him to Muhammad Ali, or declaring that he was the bravest figure in Irish sport.

But they have gone quiet. Perhaps they have the decency to be embarrassed about their infatuation with the man, or maybe they’re just waiting for his next bout.