Blame the players
Blunt: Roy Keane
Saturday October 27 2007
ROY KEANE reckons that Ireland's misfiring players are all talk and no action and must take the blame for Steve Staunton's departure.
While Keane admits that he has little sympathy for Staunton, which is hardly surprising given their fall out in the wake out of Saipan, he believes the Louthman was let down by some of his stars who failed to live up to their words.
"It comes down to the players and they should take more responsibility," says Keane. "They keep talking about what they are going to do and then you see them against Cyprus and we should beat them.
"You talk about the manager but you need the players. Obviously the manager has to prepare them and pick the right team and Steve has been criticised for that alone.
"But I certainly think the players didn't help. I said last week that Ireland have no world class players. You look at some at the top clubs, maybe Robbie Keane playing for Tottenham -- would you class Tottenham as a top, top club?
"You have John O'Shea at United but as good a player as he is, and he's done very well for United, he's not a regular in the team. Shay Given is at Newcastle, Steve Finnan is at Liverpool but he's a full-back and he's not going to get you qualification.
"I remember years ago when Ireland were doing well, they had players who were regulars in the top teams.
"But you can go back as far as the Ronnie Whelans, the Ray Houghtons and the Steve Stauntons at Liverpool, David O'Leary playing at Arsenal and obviously myself as a regular at United, where there was Denis Irwin."
He added: "I wouldn't be getting our hopes up, but you still have to remain positive and I think Irish people generally are fairly positive anyway, but it won't be easy and Steve Staunton had a bloody hard job there," he added.
Unsurprisingly, Keane says he is not interested in the job stressing that club football is his main priority right now although that may change in a couple of years. Instead, he feels that favourite David O'Leary is the right man for the role.
"I think David would be a good choice -- I think the role would suit him. He doesn't have to work every day, he could still do his television work, and he can work with a lot of young kids. I just think he would do a good job," explained Keane.
"I was just thinking about it the other night: David is not in a job, there would be no compensation for the FAI, and that must come into their thinking, and he's obviously done decent jobs wherever he has been.
"People might argue about that, but he did OK at Villa and did decent at Leeds. I just think that international management might suit him. Sometimes it's suited to people like Dave and I think, why not?
Experience
"He has that bit of experience and he can handle the media, he has a decent reputation in Ireland and all that comes into the package. Maybe he's ready for it -- he's had his break from football now. I just hope they get the right man.''
Keane will not envy Staunton's successor because he thinks it is a job where success cannot be guaranteed. He isn't convinced about the quality of young players coming through after watching Ireland's Under 21 side lose to England at Turner's Cross a fortnight ago.
In addition to that, he believes that club demands have divided player's loyalties. A problem he knows all too well himself, although he did not mention former boss Alex Ferguson by name. "I'm not sure a lot of them love going away to play for their countries anymore," suggested Keane.
"I think that's because a lot of players are focused on their clubs or are maybe being put under pressure from their clubs. I've encouraged all my players, if they're selected, to go and play and we haven't exactly got the biggest squad in the world.
"I know other managers, and in my own experience, they don't necessarily like you going away with your country and put you under a lot of bloody pressure, depending on what country you're playing for."
- Daniel McDonnell
