Robbie Keane set for French connection after Martin O'Neill's vote of confidence

With the extent of the challenge facing Ireland in the summer made abundantly clear by Saturday’s Euro finals draw in Paris, Martin O’Neill has given his strongest indication yet that Robbie Keane will have a place in his 23-man tournament squad.

Keane is no longer an automatic starter for his country, something the 35-year-old has learned to accept, but the manager is still full of praise for what the player brings to the cause. And when asked if Keane still has a role to play going into the finals, O’Neill’s response is emphatic:

“Absolutely. He’s our best goalscorer, at the end of the day. Shane Long has done great and some of these players, like Shane Long, can still learn from Robbie Keane. You talk about the little training sessions that we have: seriously, you can see why Robbie Keane has been a terrific player.”