Roy Keane is a big fan of Daniele De Rossi, and the admiration is mutual.
Anyone who’s familiar with Keane’s punditry will know that the former Manchester United captain isn’t one for showering praise on players lightly.
However, ahead of Wednesday night’s crunch game against Italy in Lille, the Republic of Ireland assistant manager was full of compliments for Italy’s midfield enforcer.
“De Rossi, the midfielder, I really like,” Keane said. “I’ve mentioned warriors, he’s up there, a really good player.”
A pretty strong endorsement from Keane, but it arguably pales in comparison to the respect De Rossi has for the Ireland assistant boss.
“Keane is my absolute hero,” the Roma midfielder told the club’s official website earlier this year.
“In my opinion, the legendary Manchester United captain needs no introduction. He’s my all-time idol. The ’16′ on my shirt is, along with the birthday of my daughter Gaia, dedicated to him.
“He’s the only person in the world I asked for a photo with, two years ago. I was too embarrassed to ask [Diego] Maradona, but with Keane I couldn’t resist.”
