IRELAND ASSISTANT MANAGER Roy Keane has promised that the team will not go to France to “make up the numbers” after seeing the Boys in Green beat Bosnia 2-0 to secure their place at the Euros this evening.

Keane said that the players “deserve massive credit” for coming through a difficult group as well as beating Bosnia over two legs tonight.

While acknowledging that he’d prefer the team to retain the ball better, Keane suggested that Ireland traditionally don’t possess overtly technical players.

“We’ve always found that difficult,” he told RTÉ.

“It’s part of the game we’d like a bit more quality, particularly at international level.”

“But all credit to the players, they hung in there.”

Keane also singled out Ireland’s two-goal hero Jon Walters, a player he knows well from their days together at Ipswich, for praise.

“Jon’s leadership qualities are there to see. He’s a great example to the other players.

“He’ll get the headlines, and rightly so, the hardest thing in football is to score a goal.

“But the support he’s had behind him — the Robbie Keanes and the Shay Givens (also deserve praise).”

And asked about travelling to France for next summer’s Euros, Keane made reference to the infamous 2002 World Cup controversy involving himself and former Irish boss Mick McCarthy.

“As long as we’re not in Saipan we’ll be alright,” he joked.

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