Reporter 1: Your thoughts on what happened on Wednesday night?

Keane: Well I've been amazed at the commotion that has been going on for the last few days.

We're going on about Henry's handball and, yes, of course he handled it, but I'd be focused on why didn't they clear it?

I'd be more annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry. How can you leave a ball bounce in the six-yard box?

How can you let Thierry Henry get goalside of you. If the ball bounces into the six-yard box I'd be saying, where the hell is my goalkeeper?

Reporter 1: But having handled the ball do you feel the integrity of the game has been damaged?

Keane: No. Not one bit. You look over the course of the campaign, Ireland had the chances in the two games. They never took it in the first game. They never performed.

I heard a few interviews after the games where the manager was saying that none of the players got booked. But maybe that was a problem. Maybe they should have got booked in the first half because we stood off France.

In the second half we had opportunities to score and we didn't take it. But usual Irish, FAI reaction. We've been robbed. The honesty of the game. There was one of the group matches, I'm sure it was Georgia (in February) where Ireland got a penalty and it was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen from one of their defenders.

I think Robbie scored a penalty and Ireland went on to win it. I don't remember the FAI after the game saying we should give him a replay

Reporter 1: Well, the FAI are asking for the game to be replayed now?

Keane: Who, John Delaney? I wouldn't take any notice of that man.

Reporter 1: Really?

Keane: No. People forget the last time that Ireland were in the World Cup, in 2002. People seem to forget what was going on at that World Cup. I was one of the players and he didn't even have the courtesy to ring me.

He got interviewed and all he said was, 'I don't know where he is, he's on the island, he's on the island somewhere I think'.

I've been involved with Ireland since I was 15 years of age and that man didn't even have the decency to make a phone call.

Reporter 1: But he knew where to contact you?

Keane: He could have phoned me, of course he could have. Try my hotel room -- (reporter laughs) -- Yeah, you can laugh but that was the World Cup.

Reporter 1: What they're saying is, the game was important so should an exception be made and should it be replayed because there...

Keane: He should have cleared it. He should have cleared it. He should have cleared the ball. Where were the defenders? The ball bounced in the six-yard box.

Reporter 1: But do you think Roy that maybe that incident should hasten people's thinking about whether video technology should be introduced

Keane: We've had this discussion before. We all agree with that. There's no getting away from it but this idea that Ireland were robbed and deserved a replay.

No. We've been saying it, I get asked about it every few months and yeah, it has to come into the game with the money involved, what's at stake.

I think the Irish supporters probably deserve better, I think the manager and probably most of the players deserve better. But I'm not sure that the FAI deserve better. What goes around comes around.

Reporter 1: What do you think about the captain of France, Thierry Henry, handling the ball that led to the goal?

Keane: I think it was instinct, sometimes you go for the ball, you stick your leg out, your hand out whatever it may be.

Would I call him a cheat? No, I wouldn't think so. Did he bend the rules a little bit? Yeah. But we see cheating going on all the time in games. Players diving. When I'm asked about it, I say 'yeah, the game's full of it'.

Reporter 1: But should it be stopped, the cheating?

Keane: Yeah of course, nobody wants to cheat ...

(A phone rings)

Keane: Whose phone is that? That's the second time it went off.

Reporter 2: That's my phone, sorry.

Keane: So why don't you turn it off? You're sitting there, and that's the second time that it's gone off. Why don't you put it on silent?

Reporter 2: But it's not the second time.

Keane: So why don't you turn it off?

Reporter 2: Well I'll turn it off in a minute.

Keane: Are you just going to let it ring?

Reporter 2: Well, I thought I'd let it ring out.

Keane: Well that's good manners.

Reporter 1: I mean, but should the game be doing something?

Keane (loudly): Yeah of course. You aren't going to do it. Me and you aren't going to do it.

You ask me the same question every few months. What are me and you going to do about it? Drop them (FIFA) an email. Yeah, do.

Drop them an email. On about the supporters.

Reporter 1: Thanks for your honesty, Roy, I appreciate that.

Keane: No problem

Reporter 3: Just one more question on that issue Roy. You mentioned about the defenders, that their first instinct should have been to clear the ball.

I heard Kevin Kilbane say about playing to the whistle, and that's the thing that has been brought to the attention.

Keane: Exactly. But it's just the usual reaction. Ex-players getting involved, obviously getting a few bob for their interviews, the media selling newspapers, a replay.

Just defend it. If that was my team I'd go into the dressing-room and I wouldn't even mention the handball. I'd just say, 'Why didn't someone put their head on it?' Defenders. Focus on my players.

There's only one ball. Just go and head it. Where's my goalkeeper? The ball bounced in the six-yard box from a free kick just inside the halfway line. That's what I'd be asking? It's nothing to do with the handball.

Reporter 3: In effect, it doesn't matter what level you're playing at. I'm sure you'll be telling your own players that.

Keane: Of course. At every level, when you're eight, nine, 10 years of age, every defender is told don't let the ball bounce, particularly in your own box, and you play to the final whistle.

And Ireland had chances anyway. They had chances at Croke Park and they didn't take them. They had chances in Paris and France were there for the taking.

France were there for the taking and Ireland never grabbed it. Usual. Usual stuff. Afraid of that next step. Mentally not strong enough and they can complain all they want, and all these players, they can complain all they want.

It's not going to change. France are going to the World Cup.

Get over it.

They want sympathy as usual. It is the usual carry on and it's boring. It'd bore you to death.

Irish Independent