A chilled out Roy.
Today is Irish Guide Dog Day and that can only mean one thing – Roy Keane gives his annual interview about anything and everything.
The Corkman has been a long-time supporter of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, and this year’s interview has given us some absolute gems about his time with Ireland, as well as further insight into his fall out with Alex Ferguson.
This time next month Martin O’Neill and Keane will be getting ready for a gruelling three games in 10 days as we face Northern Ireland,England and Scotland.
Keane admits that keeping players entertained while in camp nowadays is much different to his early days at international level under Jack Charlton:
‘With Jack it was very much a drinking culture. Players would want to go out on a Sunday, with a game on a Wednesday.’ Jack would say alright ‘I want ye back at the hotel for 12 o’clock’. I wouldn’t be saying nothing, I’d be in the background thinking, ’12 o’clock is no good’.
‘Some of the senior players would say to Jack and this was true, and remember we were professional footballers – “12 is an awkward time.” And it is, who comes home at 12 o’clock?
So he says, ‘Okay then, one o’clock’. They would go ‘Jack, one o’clock isn’t a great time either’ because if you were out at one you were obviously in a club somewhere. So he says, ‘Alright then, be back for two’, but then we used to say if you are in a club you are not going to leave before two.
‘Jack would eventually say , ‘Lads, just be back in the morning before training.’
Keane was also asked about the breakdown in his relationship with Ferguson and the reported meeting between the two men on a plane as Keane was making his way back from a Champions League game before Christmas.
‘I spotted him but he was with his wife and I thought ‘leave him to it’. It’s like anything, it’s a small world and you’re going to meet people that you’ve had disagreements with.’
Keane was asked how he felt when he saw this former boss and joked as he explained that he couldn’t say because ‘there’s some kids here.’
‘I fell out with Ferguson towards the end but I had 12 and a half great years working with him and I wouldn’t swap that for anything, it was brilliant. People will talk about disagreements and fall-outs, but you’re trying to win football matches and there’s a lot of pressure.
“I like people to have disagreements, that’s the nature of the game we’re in. So the fact that I have disagreements with Ferguson or ex-team mates, to me that’s the most natural thing in the world. I get worried if I don’t fall out with people every few months.’
Keane was also asked about returning to punditry and he admits that it’s nice to be part of team again meeting with former colleagues,
‘I’m trying to get my head around it. I don’t even like the word pundit.’
‘It’s like a team. When I’m with ITV for example, if we are doing the game on a Tuesday night, we go over Monday night and go for a bite to eat. Scholesy, Lee Dixon, there’s obviously people in the background, cameramen, producers and we have good craic.’
‘I do like that part of sport or any working environment I am in. I do like that team environment. That’s the hard part when you stop playing football.’
Here’s the full interview if you want to have a watch and it’s well worth it to see the other, softer side to Roy Keane,
The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10
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