RODDY DOYLE SAYS he’s more interested in the personality at the centre of the Roy Keane autobiography he’s ghost-writing with the Ireland assistant manager rather than revealing any dressing-room secrets.
The Booker Prize-winning novelist is penning The Second Half with the Corkman, which will be released later this year.
“It wouldn’t be why I’d sit down and write the book to be honest with you,” said Doyle when asked by Sean O’Rourke if there would be a ‘big reveal’ within the book’s pages.
“It’s not what I’d be interested in finding. I’m much more interested in the personality really and the events, the events carry the personality I think. I find I’m interested in the personality.”
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The Dubliner however insists the project is on track and he’s enjoying the process of working closely with Keane.
“It’s coming along well. I can’t talk much about it, I don’t want to really, it’s not superstition but I hate talking about things that haven’t quite been written yet,” he says.
“But yeah, I am up against a fierce deadline but that to me is kind of refreshing because it’s the first time I’ve ever worked in this way before. I’d always paddled my own canoe; I’ve never been contractually obliged to do anything for anybody, I’ve always been very independent.
“So, I started working, I think late January was the first time we met and been charging through it ever since. I have to hand it in next month. So yeah it is a pretty intense deadline but it’s going very well, I’m enjoying it. It’s a seven-day week though.”
The Commitments author explained how he became involved in the much-anticipated memoir.
Roddy Doyle: nothing like a Roy Keane deadline. PA Archive / Press Association Images
PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
“I got an email, an invitation from a publisher asking would I be interested in writing a book with Roy Keane,” he said. “So, I gave it some thought as to ‘did I want to do it?’, ‘would I be any good at it?’ — you know reasonable questions. The fact that I wasn’t a sports journalist, ‘was that an advantage or not?’ The fact that I wasn’t a Manchester United supporter, ‘could that be an advantage?’
“So I gave it some thought and said yeah I am interested. I don’t know why my name was thrown into the bucket.”
“We meet very regularly and we go through stuff for about four-hour sessions. And we go back over things again and again and again. And I think the spark in the book will be in the going back over things. We go through passages and chapters line by line and I make changes. So, it’s very much the two of us working together.”
Right here. He has to go. His refusal to make changes is destroying the teams chances if winning. It’s more than a 15 man game. Somebody tell him that. Kidney OUT
Declan Kidney has to GET OUT. Just like O Sullivan he’s afraid to use an alternative line up and slow as turtles shagging to use the bench. As long as he stays Ireland can get comfortable being nothing more than an average team in this competition. Not first but not last either. Not good enough in my view. We’re a far cry from the grand slam years now
Really should have won that one. Too many unforced individual errors. Think Kidney should have made the changes earlier too. 3 games in and only pride left to play for. Again.
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Ireland leave Stade de France undefeated!
Bowe is the man
Rte should mute Ryle Nugent and tony ward so we can listen to the deadly tuba and brass music in the background.
Here is our good start, can we keep it up !
Where are the sack Kidney crowd now?
Still here Leslie, cos we can and should be doing this in every single game.
Sack kidney
Right here. He has to go. His refusal to make changes is destroying the teams chances if winning. It’s more than a 15 man game. Somebody tell him that. Kidney OUT
We could of won, I knew at 65th minute we should off gone for the drop goal. But hey hindsight is a great thing.
Fair play to the second round Irish supporters, and the team for not losing. :-)
Come on IRELAND !!!
Declan Kidney has to GET OUT. Just like O Sullivan he’s afraid to use an alternative line up and slow as turtles shagging to use the bench. As long as he stays Ireland can get comfortable being nothing more than an average team in this competition. Not first but not last either. Not good enough in my view. We’re a far cry from the grand slam years now
Noooooooooooooooooo
Really should have won that one. Too many unforced individual errors. Think Kidney should have made the changes earlier too. 3 games in and only pride left to play for. Again.
Im sorry Tommy Bowe but Rob Kearney was man of the match.
I tell you now to win this game we need to score 2 more tries
Come on, Ireland!
I’m sick of this overrated team. Had it in the bag and let it go. A disgrace to our country! Days like today make me feel ashamed to be Irish.
Then go support someone else
@Denis. Youuuu Plonkerrrrr!
Did our bad line outs cost us a draw