Brady has nothing to offer, says Keane

THOUGH he gives Giovanni Trapattoni’s appointment a guarded thumbs up, Roy Keane claimed yesterday that Liam Brady will bring nothing to the table in his role as assistant manager – apart from his ability to speak Italian.

The Sunderland manager was in a loquacious mood in Stillorgan yesterday – as he always is during his promotional duties for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind – but the flow of conversation almost ran dry with mention of the Arsenal legend.

“I don’t think he will add anything to it,” said Keane. “I think he’ll just be the translator.”

When asked on what he was basing his opinion, Keane’s reply was even more clipped. “Gut feeling,” he replied before pausing and stressing, “which I follow, a lot.”

When it was put to him that he obviously wasn’t a fan of the RTÉ analyst, Keane replied that he didn’t know Brady but it should be pointed out that the Dubliner was fiercely critical of the Corkman after Saipan in 2002 and in the years since.

Brady himself has made it clear on TV, and through his Sunday newspaper column, that he would not have taken the post with Ireland solely on the basis of his linguistic abilities.

Whatever about his reservations over Brady, Keane is more upbeat about the appointment of Trapattoni, pointing to the Italian’s lengthy and lauded CV, while at the same time warning that the job will be far from an easy one.

“Club management is hard but international management is probably a hundred times harder because you don’t get the chance to work with the same players all the time.”

Of the players who are available, none could be deemed world-class, according to the Corkman, despite the fact that they are earning their salaries in what has been described as the best league in the world.

Shay Given, regarded by many as Ireland’s best player for some years, failed to merit a mention from Keane while namesake Robbie and Damien Duff are apparently being impeded by their lack of exposure to the Champions League.

Keane also pointed to the lack of young Irish talent playing in the Premier League, pointing to the recent U21 fixtures against England where the majority of players in green were employees of Championship clubs.

“The squad itself isn’t too bad but if you look at the players, they should really be doing better. Obviously Steve paid the price for it but the players need to look at themselves a bit more.