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6 interesting snippets from today’s Roy Keane press conference

The new Ireland assistant on doing your job, working with O’Neill and not talking about Alex Ferguson.

1. Making up is easy to do

Keane was asked very early in proceedings if he had much difficulty patching things up with John Delaney following their high-profile spat.

The new Ireland assistant said they both accepted that what was done, was done and so it was time to move on.

“I’m quite happy to move on pretty quickly. It was very straight-forward. We wanted what was good for Irish football. The past is the past.”

2. He believes nobody deserves a medal for doing their job

Early in the press conference one hack noted that Keane was early for both training yesterday and his meeting with the media today. Keane was having none of it.

“Don’t pat me on the back for turning up to work on time.”

3. He didn’t consult any old team-mates before taking the job

This was perhaps the most negative Keane was in what was, for the most part, a jovial and light-hearted press conference. Asked if he’d consulted with any of his ex-team-mates like John O’Shea before accepting the job, Keane was quick to dismiss the idea as nonsense:

“Absolutely not. It’s none of their business. That’s a ridiculous question.”

He did, however, go on to clarify that he wasn’t the loner he was made out to be.

“Despite what you think, I generally got on with a lot of the players that I worked with.”

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Image: INPHO/Cathal Noonan

4. Ray Houghton may have been telling tall tales

Last week, Ray Houghton — who helped the FAI find their new managerial dream team — asserted that Keane believed there were now better players in the squad than he was. Keane seemed genuinely confused and denied making the claim, once more playing for laughs with his reply:

“I don’t think I said that. I don’t remember saying that. Maybe Ray had a few pints on him.”

5. He’s not sure if he and O’Neill really are the good cop/bad cop management team

Of course, it was O’Neill himself who helped sow the seeds of the new management team as good cop/bad cop in the dressing room but the former Manchester United captain was quick to play it down, saying that if people think O’Neill will be the good cop, they’re sorely mistaken.

“I think I’m going to be the good cop. You obviously don’t know Martin as well as you think you do.

“He makes me look like Mother Teresa.”

6. He’s happier now with facilities than he was in 2002

Undoubtedly, the answer that drew the biggest laugh came when Keane was asked about the facilities in Malahide. It was as close to a question about Saipan as the press conference got and Keane’s answer shows he has moved on.

“It’s been great. Training pitch is lovely, there’s no potholes, we even have footballs and bibs so it’s great. Major progress.”

Watch some of the highlights here:

YouTube: RTÉ Sport

As it happened: Roy Keane’s first press conference as Ireland assistant manager

23 of the most common Roy Keane clichés deconstructed

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    Mute Dominick Lodola
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:07 PM

    Hope he and O Neill do well would be good for the morals of the Irish people.

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:31 PM

    He has some nerve making jokes about Saipan. Traitor.

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    Mute Danny Murphy
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:37 PM

    In what way is a traitor? Mick sent him home, as Mick has said himself! Foolish maybe, but he isn’t a traitor!

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    Mute Jonny Corcoran
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:05 PM

    Get over it!

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:11 PM

    Kevin.. Get over it mate..ancient history.

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    Mute Shane Mac An TSionnaigh
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:15 PM

    Traitor??? For wanting to take the World Cup serious!!! He just didn’t want to make up the numbers, and go on a piss up and make a show of ourselves!

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:27 PM

    How is he a traitor? He got offered the green shirt and turned it down. Repeatedly. He refused to play for his country. Shameful. He should never been allowed wear it again. And his actions paved the way for clowns like Stephen England, Gibson, Stokes etc to follow suit. He demeaned the Republic of Ireland Jersey.

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:28 PM

    Danny- you need to look up the judas Keane’s side of the story. He walked.

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    Mute Kevin Dobson
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:31 PM

    Nearly forgot the bit where he lambasted Irish fans for having the temerity to support their team through thick & thin in Poland- half of which are still paying off the loans they took out to be there. Which is more than he did, of course.

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    Mute Frank Buckley
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:49 PM

    Most of those “fans” haven’t bothered their holes to go anywhere near an Ireland match since and won’t again until they get to a finals and can go on the piss and sing songs in self-adulation and get bullshit awards fgiven to them for not wrecking the gaff on the urging of pisshead in chief Delaney. Through “thick and thin” me hole, ROI soccer fans are the biggest bandwagoners in the world and Keane sees through them for what they are – frauds.

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    Mute limerickbhoy
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:51 PM

    Clown cop yourself

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    Mute Shane Mac An TSionnaigh
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:05 PM

    Dead on frank, they’re only interested in Ireland qualifying so they can go on a massive piss up

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    Mute Shane Mac An TSionnaigh
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:09 PM

    He didn’t want to play because it was such a sham!! He was used to professionalism not amateur hour with the FAI and that Delaney clown! It annoyed him that nobody have a sh1t about the national team

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:56 PM

    No matter what people say about Roy Keane, he has very aerodynamic ears. No one can take that away from him.

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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    Nov 13th 2013, 8:46 PM

    He went over to win, not to party like a politician on a trip and Delaney is an expert in that area. There’s nothing about, Delaney and his time spent as head of FAI. But we’re still aching over Keane’s disgust at the World cup preparations, his expecting more professionalism in the FAI and Delaney is still there????

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Nov 13th 2013, 11:46 PM

    He isn’t a traitor. …he was sent home. McCarthy let Ireland down by making a balls of the whole thing..and not doing his job properly.

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    Mute Rob Henderson Jr
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    Nov 14th 2013, 1:30 AM

    You’ve misspelled Gobsheen.

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    Mute Rob Henderson Jr
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    Nov 14th 2013, 1:33 AM

    He demeaned the Jersey by refusing to train in inadequate facilities and to watch the team be treated like f@#king Jamaican bobsledders showing up at the winter Olympics , get back under the bridge troll !

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    Mute Ronan Skelly
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    Nov 15th 2013, 12:42 PM

    Kevin, he repeatedly refused to play for that clown McCarthy, not Ireland; who could not handle Roy’s desire for us to actually do well in the world cup, and not just show up and go home early after a big piss up, and being called the ‘best fans in the world’ and netting the FAI millions of Euro in the process. He was sent home by McCarthy who when doing so hid behind that thick Staunton, and Mother Theresa. I for one am sick of the ‘aren’t we great to have qualified brigade’ no matter how badly we do when we are there. We made a complete show of ourselves at the last finals because the attitude was ‘great we got here, job done’ Forget all your shite about Keane, and remember O’Neill is the manager, and whether you like it or not Keane will ensure that the old attitude of piss ups and half ass performances will not prevail. If you care about Irish football you will let your stupid hatred of Keane go and give them a chance..at least the new managment team can speak English!

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    Mute Pete Smith
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    Nov 13th 2013, 4:58 PM

    I hope keane used his PR power to highlight the league.
    Ireland has the worst uefa club/country co-efficient in Europe for 2013/14. Beaten by Andorra, San Mariano, Macedonia, faroe island & northern irl.
    http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method4/ccoef2014.html

    Its really sad seeing those figures

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:08 PM

    I hope he does the job he’s paid for and Ireland qualify for the euros

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    Mute Pete Smith
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:26 PM

    So what your content having the worst league in europe. how can u expect a successful national team when u dont have a healthy league!
    Its our league thats the problem, not our national team. Are o’neill & keane gonna throw fairy dust over the current crop of player & suddenly we’re allot better.
    The only logical improvement is to have stronger clubs qualifying for europe& build academies!

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    Mute Rand McNally
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:33 PM

    First of all “worst league in Europe” – utter tripe. Last summer was a terrible year alright but we’re streets ahead of many other leagues (typically ranked low 30s out of 53, not arsed checking it right now).

    Second, I think O’Neill and Keane will be good for the league (far better than Trap who was, if nothing else, ludicrously disrespectful); they’ve good knowledge of the league and have already expressed an interest in scouting it.

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    Mute DesBod
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:48 PM

    His role is asst manager of the international team. Nothing to do with the league

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    Mute Dublinjonny
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:09 PM

    Sorry Pete but climb down off that bandwagon and take a bite of reality will you

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    Mute ciaran clarke
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:30 PM

    Please Pete stop being silly.
    England’s supposedly has the best league in the world but yet the national team never has any success.
    Your comment is a bit on the silly side

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    Mute Good News Caravan
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    Nov 13th 2013, 8:32 PM

    Nobody cares about a load of part time bin men in the half a dozen joke shop clubs scattered around the country.

    Our players will get a better footballing education in England.

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    Mute Pete Smith
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    Nov 13th 2013, 10:34 PM

    Why am i being scrutinized for wanting a better league, not everyone on this island supports man u or liverpool.

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    Mute Pete Smith
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    Nov 13th 2013, 10:37 PM

    good news caravan – typical lazy attitude! its that mentality why the league will never prosper!

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    Mute Denis Leonard
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:34 PM

    And i stood there waiting for a frigen phone to go off

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    Mute Damien O'Connell
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:32 PM

    What is it with this country’s obsession with Roy Keane? Bloody sick of it!

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:30 PM

    Doesn’t really matter who is in charge… We still have a crap team.

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    Mute Jonny Corcoran
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:07 PM

    It’s still good enough to qualify for tournaments…nobody is looking for them to win tournaments

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    Mute Stephen Murphy
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    Nov 13th 2013, 8:49 PM

    Do you only want to qualify, not actually win a tournament and set a very high expectation for them?

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    Mute frank mullen
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    Nov 13th 2013, 4:55 PM

    Calm before the storm methinks !!!

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    Mute Bee Shop
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    Nov 13th 2013, 8:17 PM

    No.

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    Mute Pepski McPig
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:37 PM

    The league of Ireland is shit and nobody cares so stop shitting on about it.

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    Mute Laurence McDonagh
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    Nov 14th 2013, 4:31 AM

    Best Irish player ever. I don’t see the likes of Anthony Stokes pulling out of squads from tiredness when he’s going to be gettin advice off a genius like Roy. Players will finally love to be in the squad and love to train with the new management.

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    Mute ChocSaltyBallz
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:48 PM

    Terrible points in your article
    I think we are still in the past on this one
    half of everybody want this to fail with a bang caused by Roy of course
    and
    the other half want to succeed

    ask your self who’s side are you on !
    and what the value of a begrudger

    COYBIG…

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    Mute Maggie Cullagh
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    Nov 13th 2013, 9:15 PM

    Keane gets better looking with age ;)

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    Mute Bernard Hunter
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    Nov 13th 2013, 7:16 PM

    I thought he did well today but thats not the problem. Question is has he managed to expel the demons that send him off the deep end? I for one hope he has ans Ireland are successful. Wont hold my breath though. Other thing did anyone else notice Rob Dawson from Sky reporting and referring to Saipan ‘when Roy walked out and left the team’ funny how the rest of the world can recognise the facts and what actually happened while
    the pro Roy heads here are still screaming he was sent home!!!

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    Mute Tom Finnerty
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:55 PM

    Did you not think he implied Alex Ferguson was a liar and that he would address that at a different time or am I the only one who heard that?

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Nov 13th 2013, 5:44 PM

    I gave it a couple of years lol

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    Mute Jonny Corcoran
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:10 PM

    I agree in terms of if the media continues to focus on every little thing Roy does or says, as they have this week, then eventually it will get too much for him

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    Mute Ian Murphy
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    Nov 13th 2013, 6:40 PM

    So did the FAI by offering a 2 year contract.
    2 successful years hopefully.

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    Mute sportsmad
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    Nov 14th 2013, 5:03 AM

    Fergie was right …. those eyes!

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    Mute Trevor Mcmahon
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    Nov 14th 2013, 2:43 AM

    Any one of us could read these comments and feel totally lost ,, our main player a star of the best league in Europe and wanted full concentration from the management right down to the youths on the bench an got called a judas that’s PURE INPUT at highest level there’s only 1 keane sorry robbie he makes every- 1 work great for Ireland captain fantastic mick was over thrown

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