Roy Keane: Let’s make Ireland proud

Roy Keane is refusing to fix a boundary to the march of the nation at Euro 2016.

Ireland’s assistant manager spoke infectiously yesterday about how exciting and memorable an experience it had been for the management and players as Ireland booked their passage to France with that play-off victory over Bosnia last November.

“But that’s over with now, all that stops,” he said, abruptly changing gear. “It’s refocus now on what we can bring to the tournament and have an Irish team we can be proud of. Go over there and be remembered. Don’t go over there with the attitude that we’re just happy to be here. We can’t. Thank God we don’t have a manager who thinks that way. Same with the staff and the players.

“We are going over there to do the best we can and not come back after a week or two saying ‘ah it was a great experience’. No, no, we want to stay there as long as we can.

“I don’t know about minimum targets and ‘what would I be happy with?’ The first target is to get out of the group. Is that realistic? Yes. It is going to be very difficult [but] we have faith in ourselves, we have a brilliant manager, really good characters, good players in the group, experience. Yes, why not?”

A visiting Swedish journalist offered perhaps one reason, inviting Keane to run the rule over Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Roy wasn’t found wanting.

“He looks a bit of a boy - do you know what that means in Cork? You’ll have to Google it. Bit of a boy, one you’d want to be in the trenches with. Do you understand that? Scores goals as well. Big lad, big character. He’s not shy. Pretty confident. One to watch, from our point of view.”

More immediately for Keane and manager Martin O’Neill, the ones to watch will be wearing green against Switzerland and Slovakia this Easter, as two more stops arrive on the way to the summer’s final destination.

Unfortunately, an achilles injury means Harry Arter misses yet another opportunity to impress, though his performances in the Premier League, said Keane, are “a big help” in terms of his chances of still making it into the final squad of 23.

“He’ll be disappointed, of course,” he added, “because time is ticking fast for the Euros, but obviously we wouldn’t be shutting any doors on him, and the Dutch game [in May] might be the opportunity for him. People are always talking about cementing a place in the squad. You’re also trying to cement teams as well, your starting XI.”

Derby’s Jeff Hendrick, who has aggravated a shoulder problem, will also miss out on the back to back friendlies, while Robbie Keane sat out training yesterday before going for a scan.

After talking up a storm in the media this week, teenager Jack Byrne has impressed the senior Irish management on the training pitch, before reuniting with Noel King’s U21 side for their European qualifiers and, while Roy Keane has no problem with self-confidence, he is quick to caution against any young footballers getting too far ahead of themselves.

“He’s certainly not shy,” the assistant manager observed. “He’s a Dublin kid, isn’t he? (Laughter). Yeah, I didn’t think he was from Waterford or Cork. I wouldn’t hold it against him, but he’s obviously a confident lad.

“It’s nice to see that in a kid, as long as they’ve got the balance right and you don’t get too carried away and you think you’re a player when you’ve not done too much yet. Listen, a blind man can see he’s a talented boy who can deal with the ball, but you also have to remind these kids that talent is a very small part of actually becoming a top footballer. You’ve got to have all of the rest of it: A bit of luck, workrate, the right attitude, desire.

“Yeah, he left a good impression with all of us but, of course, you’re probably looking [at him] for the next campaign. It would be unrealistic for some of these lads to try and push for the summer. It’s good experience for one or two of the young players to join us [but], unless they pulled up trees this week and did brilliantly at their clubs, we have some senior players who have done really well for us, so the lads might have to be a little bit patient. Of course, that’s part of being a footballer as well and part of growing up.”

Looking beyond the Euros, Keane said his future role with the Ireland squad will be shaped in large part by the outcome of O’Neill’s as yet unresolved contract negotiations with the FAI.

“He’s an experienced manager, he’s negotiating his deal and good luck,” said Keane. “If it’s sorted out after that, I’ll have a conversation with him. I’ve never been one to worry about contracts in life. Football has been very good to me. If it’s not sorted out in the next month or two, so be it. If we stay on, fantastic. If we don’t, life goes on.

“Looking at the bigger picture, I’ve got to do what’s right for me, if there’s a challenge there for me. I’m enjoying the job. I said many times before a lot will be dictated by whether the manager wants me to stay on, what the deal is on the table, and your own self-worth. We’ll see. I’m so relaxed about it, it’s untrue.”