Pros in an amateur game

Here’s a pet theory for which there is no objective evidence; the Irish sporting world was changed irrevocably by the discussion that took place in the aftermath of the infamous events in Saipan that saw Roy Keane sent home from the World Cup.

Wherever one stood on the Keane question, there is a reasonable case to be made that something of Keane’s view on what constitutes sporting excellence seeped into Ireland’s public consciousness.

Keane was one of the finest players ever to ply his trade in his chosen code and I would argue that his often virulently expressed demands for excellence encouraged many individuals and sporting organisations to reassess their standards and values.