Brady puts boot in on Keane return

FORMER Ireland soccer star Liam Brady put the boot in yesterday, severely criticising the FAI’s decision to allow Roy Keane rejoin the Irish squad.

“On a point of principle, I don’t welcome Keane’s return. Once he walked out on his manager and his teammates on the eve of the World Cup finals, there should’ve been no going back,” the well-known soccer pundit said.

“He should’ve been banned by the FAI there and then, but the FAI showed little leadership,” Brady said yesterday, as the debate on Keane’s return to the Irish squad rumbled on.

“I had no sympathy for Keane during the controversy in Saipan, none whatsoever. Because of his appalling behaviour, he didn’t deserve any special treatment then, and he doesn’t deserve it now.

“It should never just be a matter of getting the best players on the pitch and to hell with principle,” he said.

But FAI chief executive Fran Rooney, who said Keane’s return is evidence of the new professionalism within the FAI, will undoubtedly welcome the FAI’s increased bargaining power thanks to Keane’s return.

The FAI is understood to be renegotiating its current deals with a number of sponsors including Pepsi and Umbro, as well as a number of other potential backers. Keane’s return will give the FAI added impetus at the bargaining table, advertising experts said.

But Brady said Keane’s return is a huge gamble. “It draws attention to our international football team for the wrong reasons,” he wrote in his Sunday Tribune column.

There is no sign of a final whistle on the Keane saga following a weekend of newspaper polls and mixed comment from leading soccer pundits and former players and managers.

Former Ireland manager Jack Charlton said he believed Keane should apologise to Irish fans before a return to the fold. He said the captaincy should not be handed back to Keane following his two years’ of self-imposed exile from the Irish squad.

Former Ireland star Tony Cascarino said he believed Keane’s return is the first step in his long-term ambition to manage the Irish team.

That belief is shared by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

Two newspaper surveys showed that a majority of Irish people are willing to forgive Keane and welcome him back.

One poll showed six out of every 10 Irish people surveyed would welcome Keane back. However, the same poll also showed six out of 10 people felt it would be wrong to make him captain.