Why Keane has misread Irish fans

Roy Keane and others are mistaken to believe our fans at Euro 2012 were celebrating defeat or just along for the sing song.

I have played football all my life and help run my local football team who play in the Leinster Senior League.

Many of our players saved up for the last year to go to Poland to support Ireland. They sang to show they are still proud to be Irish despite the hard times on and off the pitch for our country, not to celebrate defeat. What should they do? Boo their own team? The real truth of this episode is that Roy Keane in now considered a joke by most grassroots football people.

Keane previously slagged off Irish fans for wearing leprechaun hats. Then when Walkers threw a few quid at him for a TV ad he dons the gombeen leprechaun suit. He also said he would rather die than become an armchair critic. But after failing in management his pot of gold is now to be found in ITV studios and the Sun.

The sadness is that someone who was a football legend to us is now viewed for what he has become, a corporate clown grasping for his next pay cheque.

Roughan MacNamara

Chairman Blackrock College AFC

Dublin