- Ben Blake reports from Versailles 

IRELAND ASSISTANT BOSS Roy Keane has singled out Belgium captain Eden Hazard for praise ahead of this weekend’s Euro 2016 showdown.

After winning the title and Premier League Player of the Year with Chelsea in 2015, the attacking midfielder has endured a torrid time over the past 12 months and suggested a move to Paris Saint-Germain would be hard to turn down.

The 25-year-old is likely to again skipper the Red Devils in Saturday’s Group E game against the Boys in Green and Keane says he wishes the former Lille star was lining out for his team.

“It’s nothing against the lad, I think he is a talented boy,” Keane said today. “I would like him to be in our group. He is a really, really top player. He had a difficult season, I suppose, but maybe that is because he set his standards so high the previous season.”

However, the Ireland number two also added that he would not take kindly to Hazard’s antics at club level if he was his team-mate.

“Don’t get me the wrong way, I think he is an outstanding player,” said Keane.

But if you asked me, if I was playing with anybody, whether it was (Nottingham) Forest, Rockmount or Cobh Ramblers, and they were constantly talking and it was true they wanted to leave and they had a poor attitude to training, then I would I would kick them in training.

“But then I have done that with most players I suppose. Even lads who didn’t want to leave.”

Listen to The42′s Ben Blake on the 98FM Euro 2016 Daily podcast throughout the tournament 

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