‘Like Cantona, he expects the best’

ROY KEANE’S latest explosion was inevitable because he is a consummate professional, claims a leading psychologist.

Professor Cary Cooper, professor of psychology at UMIST, feels Keane’s behaviour is understandable because he expects the very best of himself and all those around him.

“I think Keane’s reaction is perfectly understandable because he is a consummate professional,” Prof Cooper said.

“This is not him acting like a prima donna and he is simply venting his frustrations at what he perceives as the deficiencies in the Irish set-up.

“Remember this is a guy who is used to the way Manchester United, one of the most professionally-run clubs in the world, do things.

“He’s a bit like Eric Cantona and he expects the best because he feels this helps him produce his best. When you have such a intensely-dedicated high-energy personality it makes you vulnerable to these outbursts.

“If he gets frustrated by the way the Irish are doing things or the standard of the training infrastructure he says so.

“He has a low frustration tolerance level, just like Cantona. What people must also remember is that he is under immense pressure.

“Whatever would have happened, he probably felt this was going to be his last World Cup. He would have wanted to do well for the team and also himself and that all translates into pressure.

“He feels that pressure even more if he feels the team are not getting the right support or their preparations are not right.

“He’s like a pressure cooker and it only takes a spark, like that training-ground incident, to set him off.”