David Meyler can handle Roy Keane's glare

What’s it like to play under Roy Keane? Or, more to the point, what’s it like to be on the end of a rebuke from Keano as his eyes narrow and the pitch of his voice rises?

Ireland’s players may well have stories to tell about training ground interactions in future years, and Keane isn’t shy of telling a few himself.

The Ireland assistant manager cited David Meyler, who came on to play a starring role in Ireland’s November win away to Austria, as an example of a man who could take Keane’s often-cutting criticism on board, unlike many “modern players”.

One specific incident at Euro 2016 stands out in Keane’s mind.

“I remember we trained just before the Euros during our training camp in France and Meyler didn’t have the best session,” began Keane, who was speaking at a fundraiser for Cobh Ramblers at the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel in Cork, with attendees including his father Maurice, brothers and former teammates.

“It bugged me a little bit and I went to his room that night — got him off the PlayStation, whatever he was playing — and I said to him: ‘Do you think that’s acceptable in training?’ The good thing about Meyler — almost the opposite to the modern player — he knew any criticism I gave him was constructive.

“I said: ‘You need to train better. You gave the ball away cheaply.’ What worried me most was none of the other players said anything to him so they almost expected Meyler to give the ball away, which is worse.

“He took it well, he took it on the chin, he didn’t get angry with me, and the next day he trained pretty well. You need the player to take this criticism on board and up their game, which he did. I’ve a lot of time for Meyler, he’s a decent lad.”

The Hull midfielder has been the textbook case study the Irish camp use when talking about players adapting to a new role and doing a job. His 90-minute shift at right-back away to Germany in October 2014 is still referred to as a reason why media and fans shouldn’t be too worried about injuries or suspensions ahead of the Ireland squad being named today.

Meyler was managed by Keane and Martin O’Neill at club level, with Keane bringing him to Sunderland and O’Neill selling him to Hull, so they know all about his abilities and limitations.

“He’s been great for us. We like Meyler a lot. He’s had setbacks — I took him over to Sunderland, he got a couple of cruciate injuries and got moved to Hull,” said Keane.

“Would you look at Meyler and say he’s technically fantastic? Meyler would tell you he is, and he’s done a job for Ireland on a few occasions. He’s come in and slotted in at right-back against Germany.

“We like Meyler, good spirit, big strong boy in the middle of the park, not the quickest. Look, I’m not his agent, am I?” quipped Keane, raising a laugh from the crowd of 700.

Keane at Cobh Ramblers’ audience with Roy Keane and Seamus McDonagh, which took place at the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel last night. Pic: Brian Lougheed

Another player who’s played an occasional starring role for Ireland in recent years but lost his starting place is Aiden McGeady.

He’s also been the target of Keane’s reality checks in the past, with the two sitting down for a private chat after one pre-Euro 2016 outburst.

Now on loan at Preston, McGeady says he’s “enjoying football again” after winning the Championship Player of the Month.

“He’s had a good two weeks, to be fair,” joked Keane, before going on to praise McGeady.

“I saw him a few weeks ago at Preston and Aiden’s done well.

“He’s getting a run of games now and obviously Preston are delighted with him — he’s got player of the month in the Championship too. That’s a good sign for Aiden because he’s not a child anymore. He’s got to adapt to what professional football is all about and we know Aiden, he’s shown moments of magic and we just need to see more of that.

“The fact he’s playing games regularly is obviously good news for us, but he’s got a bit to do yet.”

Keane also commended McGeady’s team-mate on the opposite wing, Daryl Horgan, and says he isn’t surprised to see the League of Ireland export succeeding.

“A good player is a good player, no matter what level they’re at. We’re delighted he’s gone over there and is getting games under his belt. That’s a good reflection on League of Ireland players.”

Meanwhile, injury concerns are mounting for Martin O’Neill before he names his squad for the Wales game and the friendly against Iceland today.

Already having to plan without the injured Shane Duffy and the suspended Robbie Brady for the World Cup qualifier against the Welsh, O’Neill learned over the weekend that there are now fresh doubts about the availability of Ciaran Clark and James McCarthy.

Clark left the action with a knee injury an hour into Newcastle United’s 3-1 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, with Magpies boss Rafa Benitez saying that, while the player had been withdrawn as “a precaution”, it would require a scan to determine the severity of the problem.

Adding to Ireland’s central-defensive worries is that Derby’s Richard Keogh has missed three games for his club with a calf problem, although embattled manager Steve McClaren has indicated he hopes to have his skipper back for next Saturday’s game at Nottingham Forest.

James McCarthy has also emerged as a significant injury concern having missed Everton’s 3-0 victory over West Brom with a recurrence of a hamstring problem which manager Ronald Koeman described as “another step back” and “really disappointing” for the player.

Previously at odds with O’Neill about McCarthy’s fitness for international football, the Everton boss has acknowledged that, under Fifa rules, the Ireland manager would be within his rights to name the player in his squad for the upcoming games.

“If they call the player, the player will go and they will see how his fitness is at that time,” said Koeman.