Watch Martin O’Neill reveal what Roy Keane said to him during THAT hug

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill is busy preparing himself for a last 16 battle with France on Sunday so it could be expected that tactics and personnel choices would be the main topics of conversation.

But no - at this afternoon’s press conference the big question was: “What did Roy Keane say after the full-time whistle?”

Martin was happy to divulge the conversation in full.

Martin O'Neill's response when he was asked what he said to Roy Keane at the full-time whistle against Italyhttps://t.co/CCNgszvIhv

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 23, 2016

“I told him to shave his beard, it was rustling my chin,” he replied. “And I don’t want him to hug me again ever.”

"He said, ‘You are an ugly sod’ with which I agreed wholeheartedly. I then retorted and said he wasn’t Paul Newman either.”

O’Neill has an impressively deadpan delivery but I’m afraid we’re not buying that for a second.

Himself and Roy can pretend to be hard men all they like, we know a special moment when we see one.

RESPECT: Straight after the final whistle, Buffon comes over to Keane and O'Neill to congratulate them. #IRLITApic.twitter.com/RAwrCKaJDx

— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) June 22, 2016

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