IRELAND CAPTAIN ROBBIE Keane says it makes sense for the FAI to have a new manager installed by the time they play their next international games.
The 33-year-old took his international record to 61 senior goals during the 3-1 over Kazkhstan in the final fixture of the World Cup qualifiers. He could have had a brace but for Dmitriy Shomko – who cancelled out his brilliant opener with an own-goal when Keane looked certain to score.
Advertisement
“I couldn’t do anything about it as he got a nick on it,” Keane said of the third goal. “He was obviously favourite for it but why would you want an own goal? He should have just left it.”
“Overall you have to be happy. Especially after going a goal down to a screamer. It was a great strike and sometimes you have to hold your hands up to that.
“It’s how you react and we responded very well. We were lucky to get the early goal back. But we were fairly in control of the game after that.”
The win saw Ireland finish fourth in Group C behind Germany, Sweden and Austria. There may be no place at the finals in Brazil next year but the LA Galaxy player is already looking to the future.
The next confirmed fixture is not until March when Serbia visit Dublin but a friendly has been mooted for November. The hunt for Giovanni Trapattoni’s replacement is ongoing but Keane believes that a new boss should be appointed before Ireland play again.
“It has finished now and we look forward to the next manager coming in whoever it may be and the next campaign.
I’d imagine they would have a new manager for the friendly games because it wouldn’t make sense to have them if you didn’t have a new man in.
“We are what we are and we know what we have so he needs to get his feet under the table and see what players he has available to him.”
'New manager should be in place for next friendlies' - Keane
IRELAND CAPTAIN ROBBIE Keane says it makes sense for the FAI to have a new manager installed by the time they play their next international games.
The 33-year-old took his international record to 61 senior goals during the 3-1 over Kazkhstan in the final fixture of the World Cup qualifiers. He could have had a brace but for Dmitriy Shomko – who cancelled out his brilliant opener with an own-goal when Keane looked certain to score.
“I couldn’t do anything about it as he got a nick on it,” Keane said of the third goal. “He was obviously favourite for it but why would you want an own goal? He should have just left it.”
“Overall you have to be happy. Especially after going a goal down to a screamer. It was a great strike and sometimes you have to hold your hands up to that.
“It’s how you react and we responded very well. We were lucky to get the early goal back. But we were fairly in control of the game after that.”
The win saw Ireland finish fourth in Group C behind Germany, Sweden and Austria. There may be no place at the finals in Brazil next year but the LA Galaxy player is already looking to the future.
The next confirmed fixture is not until March when Serbia visit Dublin but a friendly has been mooted for November. The hunt for Giovanni Trapattoni’s replacement is ongoing but Keane believes that a new boss should be appointed before Ireland play again.
“It has finished now and we look forward to the next manager coming in whoever it may be and the next campaign.
“We are what we are and we know what we have so he needs to get his feet under the table and see what players he has available to him.”
Noel King v Tony Donoghue: caretaker boss bows out with tense RTÉ interview
Player ratings: here’s how the Ireland team rated against Kazakhstan tonight
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
World Cup Qualifiers Europe COYBIG Ireland Kazakhstan Robbie Keane Skipper Ireland Republic Kazakhstan