Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane

[tetsujin1979]

It's not like the players listed above are only going to be playing on that night either

[DeLorean]

I really doubt it Danny but who knows. MON and Keane surely have the freedom to select as they wish, it would be counter productive otherwise. O'Neill could feel the need to watch some players more than others. He might wish to focus on centre backs, for example, if he feels he's well fixed in other areas. I'd presume the only FAI requirement is that they don't take the p!ss like Trap.

[DannyInvincible]

Ha, below what number of games attended would be considered unacceptable "Trap p*ss-taking" levels, I wonder. One or two?

[DeLorean]

In fairness to Trap, when he went to watch Hendrick play for Derby, he managed to come back with Keogh and Sammon as well. When you get results like that it reduces the amount of games you need to attend considerably

[Stuttgart88]

I still think there was an element of spite on Trap's part. You want me to go and see games? Well, I did and I'm now picking Sammon. Be careful what you wish for. Ciao.

[geysir]

So he picked Sammon to play the whole game against Spain, in a high profile friendly, out of spite??
Stutts, that suspicion is firmly embedded in the tin foil hat, loonie bin, conspiracy territory.

[DeLorean]

Tongue-in-cheek, surely? Nevermind the Spain game, he played the whole of the Austria game at Lansdowne too.

[The Fly]

Roy is taking up his role with ITV again this month: http://balls.ie/football/457694-roy-...to-an-old-job/

Originally Posted by Daryl Bolger

Roy Keane’s sole dedication to the Irish team didn’t last too long, the Ireland assistant manager is reportedly taking up his old position analyst with ITV starting on February 17th. The Corkonian will line up beside Paul Scholes and new presenter Mark Pougatch, in what is his first match since taking up the role after the sacking of Adrian Chiles, as Chelsea face PSG in the Champions League.

Keane left ITV in a lurch last Summer, quitting the station just a day before the World Cup, a move not unfamiliar to Irish fans during a certain World Cup. He took up a role with Villa not long after before quitting that job in late November, ostensibly to concentrate on his role with Ireland.

It is difficult to see how the time could not be better spent watching Ireland players however, Cyrus Christie, Jeff Hendrick, James McClean, and Eoin Doyle are amongst Irish players who could be in action the same night as the PSG – Chelsea match.

The writer neglected to mention that Roy's 'old job' is distinctly short-term, given that this is ITV's last year of Champions League coverage.

[DeLorean]

The final is the day before the England friendly and week before the Scotland game. It would probably be better if he doesn't sign up for that!

[Fixer82]

He's signed up to ITV on a game to game basis.
What is the big deal?
Football managers can often be seen commentating on games on TV.
Non-story again but when it comes to Roy there's no such thing as a non-story it seems

[DeLorean]

KIERAN SHANNON: Martin O’Neill scoring an own goal by keeping players in dark

[Stuttgart88]

Not naming the team is one thing, but not practicing using your preferred starting XI at least once during the build up seems strange.

[Crosby87]

Scotland had a drone over Irish practice, a new twist in the competitive sports world. Maybe MO was trying to throw them off.
Surely the NE Pats were doing that on the way to the super bowl last year. we need a drone to spy on our upcoming opponents chaps.mI'm not joshing either.

[Fixer82]

Scotland had a drone over Irish practice, a new twist in the competitive sports world. Maybe MO was trying to throw them off.
Surely the NE Pats were doing that on the way to the super bowl last year. we need a drone to spy on our upcoming opponents chaps.mI'm not joshing either.

Hard to know whether to take you seriously or not. You're normally such a josher

[OwlsFan]

I would trust Martin O'Neill's judgement over Kieran Shannon, whoever he might be.