Trap hits back at McGeady critics

Giovanni Trapattoni has hit back at criticism of Aiden McGeady by Roy Keane and Andy Townsend, questioning whether the former Irish internationals-turned-pundits always played well through their careers.

Keane, in welcoming the emergence of James McClean said: “It has been a long time since Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady had to worry about their Ireland places — and that’s not healthy.”

While allowing that the Spartak Moscow man finished his club season strongly, he observed: “But he’s had a difficult spell in Russia and you’ve got to think his Ireland place should be at risk.”

Commenting on McClean’s attacking prowess, Keane went on: “He got 62% of his shots on target in the Premier League and a lot of that is from cutting inside and having a pop with his right foot. I’m not sure either Duff or McGeady could match that accuracy and his goals per- game ratio compares favourably with both of them.”

Keane’s fellow former Ireland captain Andy Townsend got more directly to the point in a recent interview. “With McGeady,” he said, “it is a toss of a coin whether he turns up or whether he doesn’t.”

Trapattoni begs to differ, in the process suggesting that Townsend’s name didn’t quite ring a bell for him.

“For me, the first thing is that maybe they don’t follow the Russian league. And secondly, I played football, and I ask them: did they always play well? I don’t feel the need to answer to these ex-players. Ryan Giggs, at the age of 20, was a different player to what he is now. There is the evolution of players. Roy Keane I know but the other… [I don’t].”