Roy Keane tackles the Gareth Bale obsession
World Cup Qualifying Group D
Friday: Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (ITA)
TV: RTÉ 2
Bet: Ireland 13/10, Wales 23/10, Draw 21/10
“Bale is a world-class player,” Keane acknowledged, straight-batting his opening response to what proved to be a protracted and — as far as the Corkman was concerned — increasingly daft media interrogation on all things Gareth.
“The reason he’s a world-class player is because they generally figure out a way to affect the game. Whether Bale is at Southampton, Spurs or in the Champions League with Real Madrid, that’s what he does, he affects the game.
“He played at left-back for Southampton when I was at Sunderland and he had a huge effect — he scored an equaliser in the last minute. A good player will affect the game one way or another.”
So how can Ireland go about counteracting that, then?
“We’ve got good players who are up against him, whether that’s on the left or the right. Wardy is having a good season, if he drifts out there. We’ve got Seamus.
"If he’s playing off the front we’ve got two centre-backs, we’ve got a couple of midfielders around him.
"The basic advice to any player if you’re up against a world-class player is: somebody get to him, get to him as quick as you can, don’t let him get his head up like he does at Real Madrid.
"Don’t give him space in behind because the boy can run. Tackle him. Hit him... fairly. Tackling is part of the bloody game.”
How would you have dealt with him?
“(Meaningful pause). He might have been more worried about me. (Almost under his breath). I could play a little bit too, you know.”
Does Bale belong in an elite group with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo?
“It’s all about opinions. What you would say is he’s a world-class player. Ronaldos, Messis, it’s all about opinions but he’s done it on the world stage.”
On paper is he the difference between the two squads?
“(Another pause) He’s a good player.”
Did Man U miss a trick in not getting him in 2013?
“It’s all well and good thinking you have a deal done but a deal is not done until it’s done. Stupid question of the day. You win the award again! (Laughs). I’m only joking. It’s irrelevant. David Moyes chased a lot of players, I chased a lot of players at Ipswich.”
Is Bale a loss to the Premier League?
“When did he leave?”
Em, about two years ago?
“That all? Google it, just Google it now.” (We did, it was actually September 2013).
Bale enhanced his reputation by going to Madrid. Did you ever regret not going abroad?
“Ah, Jesus, lads! Where is this interviewing going here? I’m handing that award over to him! (Laughs).”
After all that, it seemed only reasonable to ask if, inside the Irish camp, Gareth Bale is anything like as big an obsession ahead of Friday’s game as he clearly is for many of us on the outside.
“Probably not from our mindset but there is huge respect for him,” said Keane.
“If you want to go through the Welsh team, they have a lot of good players.
“I’m sure if Bale was sitting here he would say they give him that opportunity to express himself. They have good players like Ramsey, some good defenders, some good lads in midfield.
“We respect all their players. A lot of teams will have a so-called star man, and Bale is that. No doubt it’s a good media story: ‘How do you cope with Bale?’ But we have to have an element of trust towards the players.”
The hope must also be that within the Irish ranks is someone who might contrive to steal Bale’s thunder at the Aviva.
Whether from the start or off the bench, Aiden McGeady could be that man, especially if he can bring his resurgent and scintillating form from the Championship into the international arena.
“I’m delighted for Aiden,” said Keane.
“There is a time where you do need to get games under your belt and I think the loan move to Preston — sometimes loan moves don’t work out — has been a big plus for Aiden, a big boost for Preston and a big plus for us.
"You can tell from Aiden in training, from his body language, he’s happier and that he’s playing regularly. He’s added goals to his game too. I’ve seen Preston play a couple of times and you come away thinking that Aiden has that bit of quality you don’t often get in Championship games.
"It’s a huge plus for us that Aiden is playing regularly, training regularly — has that match sharpness, match preparation and match recovery — and he’s nicking a few goals.”
Yesterday brought further injury woes for Ireland with Daryl Murphy, nursing a calf problem, the latest to withdraw, and Keane sounding almost resigned to the prospect of James McCarthy failing to recover in time from his troublesome hamstring, although the Everton man did manage to do some jogging with the squad’s fitness coach.
And while it was hardly reassuring either to see Seamus Coleman sitting out training for the second day in succession, Keane did say that he expected the skipper would be able to take part today.
Likewise, Shane Long’s absence from training yesterday was being described as precautionary.
But as far as the assistant manager is concerned, the biggest reason for optimism ahead of Friday’s qualifier lies in his infectious belief that, whatever team Martin O’Neill fields against Wales, the chosen ones will give their all in the green shirt.
“There is that belief, that unity, that togetherness which means we’ll have a right go on on Friday, a right go,” he promised.
“This element of doom and gloom with the injuries...I think the players are in a good place, working with a brilliant manager and we have a bit of momentum. And I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else over the next few days than getting ready for an international match for Ireland with the group of players we have.”
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