IRELAND PLAYERS CONOR Hourihane and Graham Burke have both backed Roy Keane following the latest controversy involving the assistant boss.
In a recent interview with the Irish Daily Mirror, manager Martin O’Neill revealed that Keane was involved in an altercation with both Harry Arter and Jon Walters the last time the Irish squad met up.
And while Walters has linked up with the current Irish squad ahead of the forthcoming matches with Wales and Poland and appears to have gotten over the incident, Arter has made himself unavailable for international duty.
O’Neill on Monday suggested that the row with Keane influenced the Cardiff midfielder’s decision and reiterated his support for the assistant boss.
Sections of the media have been critical of the Corkonian, particularly given that it is not the first controversial incident he has been at the centre of in five years as O’Neill’s number two.
However, when two of the Irish squad’s players were asked about the fiery ex-Man United star this week, both were highly complimentary.
“He’s been brilliant with me ever since I came in,” said Burke. “Going to Preston, he’s given me words of advice on that, so I only have [praise] for Roy.”
Granted, as a relatively new member of the Irish squad, Burke has only become acquainted with Keane recently.
The same cannot be said for Hourihane though. The Aston Villa star has been a regular member of the Irish squad for a little over a year — making his Ireland debut in a March 2017 friendly against Iceland.
But even before then, the midfielder knew Keane well. The former Ireland international signed his fellow Cork native twice during his time as a manager, bringing him to Sunderland and Ipswich.
Roy’s been fantastic with myself ever since I’ve been young,” Hourihane says. “He’s always been giving me words of advice along the way. He’s been first class to myself, so I’ve only got high words to speak about Roy.
“He was one of the best midfielders we produced in this country. He’s won countless trophies and caps, if you can learn anything off him — especially as a midfielder like myself — it’ll only improve your game. He’s been fantastic with me.”
Hourihane also confirmed that the immense drive, which was a defining characteristic of Keane as a player, has been still very much in evidence since he became a coach.
“That’ll never leave him,” he explains. “If you let standards go any little bit, he’s on the case, so that’s fantastic to have as well — he keeps you on your toes.”
Echoing the words of team-mate Ciaran Clark, Hourihane urged the Irish side to focus on upcoming games with Wales and Poland, and avoid getting too distracted by all the recent talk regarding the controversial absences of Harry Arter and Declan Rice from the current squad.
Declan and Harry have been spoken about in the last couple of weeks, but ultimately it’s their decision on what they want to do. We’ve to concentrate on the lads that are here, ready to go for the two games ahead. What will be will be with them two lads.”
On Rice, who has played three friendlies for Ireland before the surprise announcement that he was considering switching international allegiance to England, Hourihane added: “I’d imagine there’s been people in his ear, saying bits and pieces to him. Maybe it’s turned his head a little bit. He’s obviously made his decision to take a bit of time out — everyone has to respect that. Whatever will be will be with Declan. We have to concentrate on the lads that are here.
“We have a big game against Wales coming this week that we’re all fully focused on and in Poland after that. We have to look after those two games. Whatever happens with Declan in the future, we’ll wait and see.”
While James McClean recently appeared to criticise Rice on Twitter and agree with former international Kevin Kilbane’s suggestion that players who need to contemplate representing the country should be disregarded, Hourihane suggested the absent pair would be welcomed back into the camp if they chose to return.
“I’d imagine so,” he says, when asked if the squad would be happy with their prospective reintroduction into the group. “That’s the way it’ll be seen. Whatever happens with them two, we’ll wait and see. If they do come back, they do. If they don’t, they don’t. So time will tell.”
The former Barnsley player did, however, admit to having mixed feelings about Arter’s absence, with the selfish part of him glad it increases the likelihood that he will be picked in midfield for the upcoming matches.
“It’s obviously disappointing for us not to have him. He’s a very good player, Harry. But ultimately, if it’s a body less, then for midfielders, there’s a place up for grabs. So you have to go about your business in training in the right way and hopefully over the course of next couple of games, I’ll get the nudge and win another cap.”
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I personally would prefer a mediocre team with a majority of which irish than a world class team packed with foreign players eligible.
*that are eligible
I agree Francis, what’s the point in international football otherwise, might as well just have club football if players can switch countries as well
Noble is about as Irish as a jellied eel!
Jon Flanagan would be a nice addition to our squad. I always looked on Ireland as defensively sound and average in midfield and attack, but our current defense is shocking… Other teams will definitely target that
Mark Noble at West Ham as well by all accounts
I understand why English players who are substandard go for the Irish option as it means international football and a boos in their paypacket, but I can’t get my head around McCarthy and McGeady. Born and bred Scots, certain to make their national team (if they can make ours) but they opt for a foreign country? Weird.
It isn’t surprising at all when you see naked sectarianism in west Scotland, like N Ireland.
Both have grandparents who were irish and had to move to Scotland for work reasons and brought up there kids as irish In a foreign land and both had great respect for there parents and grandparents heritage I for 1 have no problem with them playing for Ireland . Plenty of players out there who have jumped on the international bandwagon like Matt holland who sang god save the queen I think 4 Ipswich at wembley in d play offs and turned up 4 a friendly a few days later playing 4 Ireland the likes of that makes me wonder
Mccarthys on record as saying his granddad made him promise on his death bed that if he ever got good enough for international soccer that he would play for his homeland Ireland. Hard to say no to that in all fairness.
While Stephen Ireland is on record as saying that when his grandmother was on her death bed that.. oh no wait
His ‘grandmothers’ you mean Noel? Cork lads are allowed several .
Interesting how people question the plastic paddies now who played in the past. But when they actually helped get Ireland places no one had any problem with it.
Marie, the secatrian angle makes a bit more sense, thanks. I’m not sure if deathbed promises and/or ancestral lineage would play a part (if I had an English grandfather, would I consider playing for England? No) but they might be heightened if they were subjected to sectarianism and felt unloved by a significant percentage of the population.
I think that is unfair tbh. Matt played well for Ireland and was very happy to play for us, as was a lot of English lads. He was also born and reared in England – so he was entitled to sing that national anthem. We have to get over this crap.
John Lydon summed it up. In England he was considered Irish and in Ireland he was considered English. So he was both, and there was very little difference anyway, he said.
Significant populations in West Scotland still consider themselves Irish before British. The opposite to N Ireland I guess.
When a lot of the other teams goad Celtic fans with “the famine song” what do they expect? Not just Rangers.
Anyway, a lot of countries do this. Italy have done it several times with some players.
Rossi is from New Jersey? Christian Vieri was an Aussie! They had a few Argentinians..some Swiss (Di Matteo) and wasn’t there an English born player..name escapes me.
Doubt they would care if Rossi sang Star-Spangled Banner if he ever made it back to play in the MLS..
Can’t believe Trigger has inspired a debate on the virtues of players nurtured by Irish grassroots football versus granny rulers, the serious issues of sectarianism in Scottish society or intellectual arguments around degrees of ethno-national allegiances!
To recap: Trigger believes there are Irish qualified players out there that would definitely strengthen the squad but he can’t name one for certain.