Roy Keane Q&A: ‘Talking about other jobs is irrelevant’

Roy Keane gives his opinion on...

James McCarthy

“I’d like to think he’d be available for Thursday. We’ve been getting medical feedback from the club doctor and our own doctor but the most important feedback I always look for is from the player. He seems really upbeat and actually looked quite sharp in training. You can get sometimes when a player’s coming back because he’s missed the game and been frustrated with the injury. And he looked pretty sharp, I have to say.”

Harry Arter

“The feedback from club level on his scan is that it’s all good news but, from the player, he feels a tightness and if you don’t train two days before a game you’re hardly likely to be involved. So that’s disappointing for him and for us because we were hoping he’d get a run of games. But the fact that he’s not trained today will tell you he’s hardly likely to make Thursday.”

Georgia

“We’re at home and the expectation is you go win the game, but we’re in for a very tough game. Every time I’ve watched Georgia, from our last experience and their last game against Austria, they’re game and they’re up for a battle. You take your hat off to them for that because they have been unlucky. They have lost so many games by the odd goal, it must be very frustrating for them. That will turn for them. But hopefully after Thursday.”

Scott Hogan

“I think the manager has plans to meet him over the next few weeks and hopefully that falls into place. Just like (Jack) Grealish and one or two other players, you’re trying to get them on board and if it helps the lad that I get involved, fantastic. But the manager is taking the leading role in that. Any player that qualifies for Ireland and is scoring goals week in, week out, in the Championship, then we have to consider them. It’s as simple as that because of the shortage of strikers we have. He looks a really good player, a proper goalscorer. Please God, he would like to come on board with us because I think we would be good for him as well.”

The greatest game on the planet

“Because of the stuff that has gone on in the last week or two with Sam Allardyce and all these allegations and accusations, you need to remind people what a great game it is. Oh my God. Why do you think it is so popular? When there is so much money involved, like any industry, there will be greed.

“But don’t allow it to take away from the brilliant people there are in football, the brilliant clubs, managers, brilliant chief executives. There are some good agents out there. Let’s not tarnish every agent as some dodgy, Italian bluffer. But it is the greatest game on the planet.”

Gareth Southgate

“I like Gareth. He is a good guy. I remember he tried to break my leg in the cup semi-final. Luckily I got out of the way. (Laughs) Besides that, I try not to hold that against him. Is he up to the England job? There is only one way to find out. There are always pluses and minuses to any job. I haven’t seen him work at club level or international level but for Gareth to be around the game for as long as he has been, he must have that (tough) streak in him (although) he is not as nasty as me.”

The lure of club management

“It all depends on the club. When I stopped playing, I didn’t think I was going to go into management, but then a brilliant club like Sunderland came calling. It depends who comes calling — Real Madrid, Barcelona, Altrincham, Barnet... (But) it’s not in my mindset. I’m not one for networking, I don’t have an agent, I don’t apply for jobs and I never have. Maybe I never will do, but that might change in a few years — who knows? I’m committed to the job with Ireland and my mindset is to try and get maximum points this week. Talking about other jobs is irrelevant.”