Just in the door and new boss gets down to business

Day One in the Big Brothers house and, as he walked towards the Gannon Park training pitch past the unusually swollen ranks of media, security and fans in attendance, Robbie Keane cracked a grin and observed that there must be a new manager about the place.

Bright and early, Roy Keane had been first to arrive, with goalkeeping coach Seamus McDonagh, and the pair were soon joined by Martin O’Neill to oversee the first training session of the new Ireland management era.

Afterwards, the Derryman was happy to report that, following an initial meet and greet with the players at the team hotel the previous night, the morning session had been “short and sharp”, expressing satisfaction that “the little formula” he and his assistant had worked out had gone according to plan.