Back in the fold: Keane returned to the Ireland team in
2004
No holding back: Keane
Roy Keane had little sympathy for the Football
Association of Ireland's unsuccessful campaign to have their
controversial World Cup play-off against France replayed and said:
'What goes around comes around.'
The Irish FA and Republic manager Giovanni Trapattoni had made
an impassioned plea to FIFA and the French Federation to replay
Wednesday's World Cup play-off after Thierry Henry's blatant double
handball led to France's extra-time winner.
The Irish players claimed they were victims of a conspiracy to
ensure Europe's leading nations made the final but FIFA today ruled
that the result stands.
Ipswich manager Keane's relationship with the FAI broke down
following his walk-out from the Republic of Ireland training camp
prior to the 2002 World Cup.
And he dismissed their calls for 'the honesty and integrity' of
the sport to be protected in the wake of Henry's handball.
He said: 'I think the supporters deserve better, the manager
(Giovanni Trapattoni) deserves better and probably most of the
players deserve better, but I'm not sure the FAI deserve better.
What goes around comes around.'
Keane also accused the Irish players of lacking mental strength
when it mattered most. He added: 'They were afraid of that next
step. Mentally, not strong enough. They can complain all they want
but it’s not going to change. France are going to the World Cup and
they need to get over it.
<!-- FIP-HEADER --><!-- W0:HSA0856 --><!-- W1:
--><!-- W2: --><!-- W3:2 SOCCER REPUBLIC KEANE
--><!-- W4:PA --><!-- W5:20-11-2009 11:37:36
--><!-- W6: --><!-- W7:HSA0856-SSO-4-2 SOCCER REPUBLIC
KEANE --><!-- W8:SPORT_PA --><!-- W9:SPORT_PA
--><!-- ZN:20091120_pa/hsa0856.6056.html --><!--
SH::SHSA:N0856:P4:CSSO:W303:RPA SPORT:K2 SOCCER REPUBLIC KEANE
--><!-- SN:HSA0856 --><!-- SU:PA --><!--
HD:20#HM:11#HY:2009#HH:11#HN:37#HB:36 --><!--
HS:wire_9192_2009-11-20_11:37:36_5_323 --><!--
WN:20091120_pa/hsa0856.6056.html --><!-- WD:w4sport_pa
--><!-- WK:2 SOCCER REPUBLIC KEANE --><!--
FIP-ENDHEADER -->
Slow motion: Keane insists Henry would never have
had the time or the space in the Ireland penalty area if the team
had defended properly
Talking specifically about France's winner, Keane laid
the blame on Ireland's defence rather than Henry, who handled the
ball before crossing for William Gallas to head in.
'I'd focus on why they didn't clear it,' he said. 'I'd be more
annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry. How
can you let the ball bounce in your six-yard box? How can you let
Thierry Henry get goal-side of you?
'If the ball goes into the six-yard box, where the hell is my
goalkeeper?
Keane's antipathy towards the FAI stems back to the Pacific
island of Saipan seven years ago when he left the team's pre-World
Cup training camp, complaining that the facilities were
sub-standard.
'(FAI chief executive) John Delaney is on about honesty and
integrity but I wouldn’t take any notice of that man. 'People
forget the last time Ireland were in the World Cup in 2002. People
seem to forget what was going on.
'That man’s on about honesty. 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
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. He
could have phoned me – of course he could. He could have
tried my hotel room.
'He didn’t want to listen to my side of the story. I had a
disagreement with Mick (McCarthy, then Ireland boss) and he’s the
chief executive but he didn’t have the courtesy to speak to
me.
'Even when I went back playing for Ireland it was the same. He
walked past me in a hotel corridor. 'And this man’s on the
television talking about the integrity and honesty of the
game, and what football’s all about.'
'What goes around comes around. I’m a great believer in
that.'