Roy Keane’s back, but not quite at full throttle

Roy Keane was back, temporarily at least, on ITV as a pundit for last night’s PSG v Chelsea Champions League last 16 tie, nine months after pulling out of their coverage of the World Cup finals in Brazil — and he was on his best behaviour. 

The Republic of Ireland assistant manager has returned on a non-contract, game-by-game basis, having being embarrassed by his contractual obligations to attend the Champions League final last season, missing the last day of preparation for the Republic’s friendly against Turkey.

There will be no repeat this year — reports suggest Keane has already insisted he will not attend the final in Berlin this time as it clashes with a match against England in Dublin 24 hours later — but viewers will at least be entertained by his frank assessment of Champions League ties in the meantime.

That privilege is, perhaps, a bi-product of Keane’s decision to quit as assistant manager of Aston Villa to concentrate on his job alongside Martin O’Neill — claiming his dual role ‘wasn’t fair on Ireland or Villa’. Whatever the reasons, it didn’t take long for him to settle back into the old routine.

Standing pitchside alongside Paul Scholes and Lee Dixon in the Parc des Princes, almost every sentence in his opening gambit contained a little barb, however deep it was hidden in the syntax.

Chelsea couldn’t be described as a great team ‘they have to back it up with trophies’, Fabregas was a good player ‘but don’t forget he wasn’t always picked at Barcelona, so it’s a big night for him’.

Even Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered at the Corkman’s hands as Keane reminded everyone he had never won the Champions League despite playing at several clubs where he’d be expected to do so.

In reality those kind of comments are under-stated by Keane’s standards; and the game didn’t really provide him with an excuse to let loose.

Even when Diego Costa pulled David Luiz’s hair in a first-half tantrum, the former Man United man simply shrugged his shoulders. “He needs to be careful. Silly,” was the withering verdict.

As for Keane’s opinion on Chelsea’s performance, it was honest but by no means brutal.

“Chelsea were poor tonight but they are always capable of getting a result and that’s a sign of a good team,” he said. I think they will be satisfied with the result, more so than with the performance.

“Overall I would say they were sloppy. Defensively they were pretty poor — which was a surprise — and second-half they looked a bit leggy, especially after having a week off. But they got the draw and I think Mourinho will be delighted with the result.”

So, Roy is back but — rather like Chelsea on the night — not quite at full throttle.