Keane allegedly called Arter a ‘prick’ and a ‘wanker’.
The origin of the Roy Keane-Harry Arter row has come to light.
The Republic of Ireland assistant manager reportedly ripped into the Cardiff City midfielder after he sat out a training session during the Ireland camp for the summer friendlies against France and the United States.
According to the Sunday World (via The Sun), Keane reacted angrily after FAI medical staff advised Arter to sit out a training session as a precaution.
Arter is said to have been ‘stunned into silence’ but Keane’s reaction prompted Jon Walters to rise to the player’s defence.
Martin O’Neill was not present at the time, according to the report. Keane is said to have called Arter a ‘prick’ and a ‘wanker’ while saying he didn’t rate him and that he wouldn’t pick him if he was manager.
Arter, 28, has stepped away from international football following the incident, with pressure mounting on Keane to do the same for seemingly fostering a hostile atmosphere in the Ireland camp.
“Keane went for it,” a source said in the report. “He called Arter every name under the sun, but we should not be surprised by that and it is not the first time they have clashed in recent years.
"The Ireland players desperately need some basic organisation and a tactical plan to make them greater than the sum of their parts.
"Instead, they have their manager telling them to "just deal with it" as they're left exposed and overrun again" https://t.co/L8NXUeyseH
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 8, 2018
“Arter didn’t say much and just went back into his room and a few players went in with him, but no one who witnessed that was surprised when he said he would not be coming back.
O’Neill earlier this week defended Keane. “I suppose I didn’t really want to be in a position where I’m offering support to Roy,” the 65-year-old said. “Because he is more than capable of supporting himself.
“But what I will say is that he has been excellent since he came in [as assistant manager] and the captain Seamus Coleman would agree with me. He has been very positive, very strong and you know what you are going to get with Roy alongside you.
“You also know that he has that capacity to yeah … he has that capacity [to have arguments with players] but sometimes that’s why I like him.”
"After the defeat to Denmark, Ireland needed something different. Instead they are trapped on the same tiresome journey, guided by a management team who can't escape the past, primarily because they don't want to." https://t.co/dCeHWBynY8
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 6, 2018
