Roy bites back at Trap

The war of words between Roy Keane and Giovanni Trapattoni rumbles on, with the Irishman opting for many and the Italian responding with a choice one.

Keane yesterday expanded on his criticism of Ireland’s performances in the Euros and suggested the chant, ‘You’ll never beat the Irish’, had passed its sell-by date.

“I’m sick of this ‘win, lose, we’re on the booze’ mentality, it has to change,” he said. “People seem to have misunderstood me. I’ve no problem with fans singing. It’s great that they back the team during and before games but should they really stay on long after the final whistle and be cheering them? There’s a danger that gets the players thinking that what has just happened on the pitch is acceptable when it’s not.”

And he lacerated the players who were on the field against Croatia and Spain, saying: “Their club form is poor and no player has come out of the two games in Poland with any credit. Not one. The problem with Ireland is that people are being picked no matter how they have played and that’s a disease in any team.

“The likes of Robbie [Keane], Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff and John O’Shea are picked for every game because they have a big reputation. A reputation for what? They hadn’t qualified for anything in 10 years. They love having a dig back at me when I say something but I tell you now I’ll be ready if they do because players have to be accountable for how the team did.”

Robbie Keane declined the opportunity to bite back yesterday, leaving it to his manager to lead the counter-offensive.

“Roy Keane has been a great player and had great success,’’ Trapattoni said. “I don’t know if he achieved the same results as coach or manager. I can ask him why. I think for intelligent man I can’t understand it.”

But, switching to Italian, he revealed his irritation when he added: “What has he won, for fuck’s sake?”

Back came Keane on ITV last night.

“I’m surprised,” he said. “I think the reaction, as usual, is over the top. I actually never criticised the manager. I said the players need to change their mentality and the supporters so for the manager to come out and have a dig at me... I understand he’s going to defend his players.

“But to come out with all that nonsense about what have I done as a manger, listen, I think I’ve done okay at Sunderland, okay it didn’t work out at Ipswich but I’m still quite young, and hopefully there’s a chance I’ll get back into management. Just because he’s had major success doesn’t mean to say he shouldn’t be criticised.

“If Brian Kerr or Steve Staunton was manager of Ireland and they put on that performance they’d be heavily criticised. For some reason Trapattoni doesn’t feel he needs to be criticised.”

Keano v Trap, eh? Hopefully, the Irish will give the Italians as good a run for their money on the pitch tonight.