“They didn’t know what they wanted.”
Roy Keane took a dig at the Football Association of Ireland when speaking about the organisation’s failed attempt to appoint Lee Carsley.
Carsley has been named England’s interim manager, stepping up to the job from his role as the nation’s Under-21 manager.
The former Everton midfielder will take on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in his first game with the senior team – a Uefa Nations League match in September.
However, Carsley, who won 40 caps for Ireland, could have been in the home dugout for the match at the Aviva Stadium.
According to multiple reports, the 50-year-old turned down the chance to become Ireland manager earlier this year when the FAI were trying to find a successor to Stephen Kenny.
Keane was asked about England appointing Carsley on an interim basis during ITV’s coverage of the Manchester derby in the Community Shield match at the weekend.
The Irishman spoke about the merits of Carsley succeeding Gareth Southgate and took a dig at the FAI in the process.
Keane, who was also linked with the Ireland job, said that the organisation ‘didn’t know what they wanted.’
Eventually, after months of searching for a new coach, the FAI appointed HeimÃr HallgrÃmsson as the new head coach.
“The timing is key for any manager to get that opportunity,” Keane said on ITV.
“As you pointed out, the games coming up, you’d fully expect England to win most of the games. He’s in prime position to get the job.
“He obviously lacks experience, he’s not managed that long but he’s worked at international level.
“Listen, good luck to him. I’ve played with Lee, he’s a nice lad. He’s got this opportunity, let’s see if he can go and take it.
“Allegedly [the FAI wanted to appoint Carsley as Ireland manager]. But apparently, they wanted everybody, they didn’t know what they wanted.”
Keane and Carsley played together for Ireland. They featured alongside each other seven times for the Boys in Green and were in many squads together over several years.
The former Ireland captain spoke highly of Carsley and noted that the former midfielder has taken a similar route to the England job as his predecessor, Southgate.
Keane also wondered whether Carsley rejected the chance to become Ireland manager because he was tipped off earlier this year that he could be in the frame to replace Southgate after Euro 2024.
“My experience with Lee is that he’s a very quiet lad,” the former midfielder said.
“Obviously, he had a good career, he’s gone and done the hard yards with his coaching, worked at underage and had lots of different roles.
“The key for lots of managers, a bit like Gareth when he got the England job, is timing – that opportunity has opened up for him now and he’s seized it.
“Maybe that was one of the reasons he turned the Irish job down. Maybe he was told a few months ago, ‘Listen, you’ve got a chance of certainly getting an opportunity for the England job.’
“Let’s see how he gets on.”
