Roy Keane out of the Portugal friendly.

[Superhoops]

in all fairness what has roy keane have to gain from playing in these meaningless friendlies

You could say the same for Duff, Given, Cunningham and Robbie Keane, all of whom are more or less guaranteed to start in Ireland's best starting XI.

The difference is they actually want to play for Ireland. Do you think Mourihno wants Duff to risk injury a couple of weeks before the Champions League?

Keane only thinks of himself and if he wants to put MU before Ireland, then that is up to him, he is well used to doing that. I only want to see players in the national team who are totally committed and not players who use it for their own purposes.

Spurious injuries have always been used, especiallly by MU, to pull players from internationals, what about Ryan Giggs? If Wednesday's game was a WCQ against France, Keane would be available to play and there would have been no mention of injury.

[eirebhoy]

You could say the same for Duff, Given, Cunningham and Robbie Keane, all of whom are more or less guaranteed to start in Ireland's best starting XI.

The difference is they actually want to play for Ireland. Do you think Mourihno wants Duff to risk injury a couple of weeks before the Champions League?

Keane only thinks of himself and if he wants to put MU before Ireland, then that is up to him, he is well used to doing that. I only want to see players in the national team who are totally committed and not players who use it for their own purposes.

Spurious injuries have always been used, especiallly by MU, to pull players from internationals, what about Ryan Giggs? If Wednesday's game was a WCQ against France, Keane would be available to play and there would have been no mention of injury.

did you just completely ignore my post?

[thecorner]

Keane only thinks of himself .

at the age of 33 u cant blame him for doing so

[Closed Account 2]

Why is he still being put in the squad for friendlies, its clear he'll never play a friendly for us again so why name him in the squad two or so weeks before the game?

[Superhoops]

did you just completely ignore my post?

which particular part?

[eirebhoy]

which particular part?

are you serious? Absolutely everything you said is answered in my post so I'll just paste that in here.

"The difference is they actually want to play for Ireland."

- 2. Roy turned up for an away match ( ) against Poland carrying an injury and had to be sent home. The physio said he still wanted to travel to Poland but wasn't allowed. Players like Duff, Kilbane, Robbie, Carr, O'Brien, Dunne and many more pulled out of this "meaningless" match. Do you honestly think it was his decision to pull out of this?

"Keane only thinks of himself and if he wants to put MU before Ireland, then that is up to him, he is well used to doing that. I only want to see players in the national team who are totally committed and not players who use it for their own purposes."

- 3. What does Roy Keane as a person gain if it was his decision to pull out of this squad? Absolutely feck all. He knows he has the "don't do friendlies" reputation so it is only doing his reputation in this country harm. Therefore, he came back to play for Ireland to help his country as if he cared more about his personal reputation he would have turned up to this game.


"Spurious injuries have always been used, especiallly by MU, to pull players from internationals, what about Ryan Giggs? If Wednesday's game was a WCQ against France, Keane would be available to play and there would have been no mention of injury."

- 1. I have seen the word injur in this thread about 10 times. Where does Ferguson, Keane or Kerr mention any injury?

[eirebhoy]

still don't see what Keane has to gain as a person from pulling out of matches so arrogance shouldn't come into it.

[M@ttitude]

He's a legend though http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=Un-edited%20Tunnel

[Éanna]

in all fairness what has roy keane have to gain from playing in these meaningless friendlies.

the whole point in these "meaningless friendlies" is that its practise for the competitive games. What if brian kerr wants to try out a new player in midfield, or a new system- if keane isn't there, how does he know he'll slot intot it? I have no problem with older players being rested occasionally, or only playing half a game, but no player should be able to pick and choose. Even if he came over for training, and didn't play the game, it would be something- the more often he trains with the Ireland squad the better- IMo thats more important than a friendly game

[Eire06]

Think this game is important Portugal are one of the top teams in Europe and to beat them would boost the squads moral and get them ready for the WCQ comin up...
Keane will be missed he has an ability of boosting the squad by just being there..

and no matter what he does he will be critised cause half the country love him and the other half hate him..
He is 33 and has to take it easy but I don't think he'd make up an injury just to miss a friendly match especially against a top team like Portugal, he is one of the most dedicated players around at the moment and always puts everything he can into every match he plays.

[gspain]

No problem with this game but I would have a huge issue if Taggart tried the same stunt before Israel away. He also pulled Ferdinand and Giggs (big surprise here in Giggs misses friendly shocker ). All 3 will no doubt play on sunday v Man city.

Ultimately wednesday's game in meaningless. Israel is an absolutely massive game.

[Macy]

It's Roy Keane.

Who is remotely surprised that he makes himself available for selection and at the last moment bails out for no apparent reason other than his preference for the red shirt over the green.

At least it's not the eve of the World Cup, or just before a crucial qualifier, or following Brian Kerr's apppointment. I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I'm beginning to think you're Cathal Dervan.....

[Kicko]

Thank god the knick knack from cork aint playing.He doesnt belong on dublin soil anyway or on ireland soil for that matter.

[Macy]

From fai.ie

Keane pulled out with an ongoing knee problem with Manchester United’s medical team believing that a week off is needed.

Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr said: “Roy was withdrawn by Manchester United. He had a pain killing injection before the game on Saturday and didn’t finish the game

[razor]

So, if it was Keane's decision to pull out he has put his country before himself.

Either that or he has a few of the lads coming over this week.

[barglee]

hasnt Kerr been known to drop players for pulling out of friendlies.

e.g. Harte , Delap.......

I know Keane is a "special" player but in any team al players shud be treated fairly.
this is a great oportunity for the players to play together and wud be ideal if ireland could put out their 1st team.

ok, were not going to learn anything new about Roy Keane from this friendly but the same cud be said about a lot of the players. e.g. Shay Given, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane ....

also wouldnt it benifit the fringe players coming in to play with Roy.

Does anyone know if Keane is going to travel with the squad to Dublin?????

[NeilMcD]

Lads the real reason is , that the players are going to go see Ikeano tonight in the olympia and roy pulled out as he could not take a slagging either that he was afraid he would hurt his ribs with all the laughing.



Seriously he wont be pulling out of the Israel match unless he actually cant play. I see onthis forum people calling for experimentation etc in friendlies. Roy not playing and getting a rest which will do him good after a few great performances recently, will give Kerr an opportunity to play Kavanagh in midfield and get more caps under his belt and a bit more experience against a top class team. Kavanagh is a good player but lacks experience of playing against top class players regularly. Keane maybe injured in Israel and if so you need a player that is comfortable at this level.


I was reading 4-4-2 the other day and Bobby Robson was talking about the relationship between club managers and international managers. He said that Alex Ferguson was the easiest to deal with and the fairest. Sometimes he asked for a bit of leeway with friendlies but was always willing to return the compliment.

[Macy]

Is the Manchester United medical team the same experts who told him he couldn't play a World Cup qualifier but could play the same week in the Champions League, and subsequently that he could never play international football again?

Is that Iran away game? Again. Get over it, you're turning into Davros.

[Roo69]

Why is he still being put in the squad for friendlies, its clear he'll never play a friendly for us again so why name him in the squad two or so weeks before the game?

Ray Houghton made a great point on the premiership on saturday evening. He said that Kerr / Keane should contact eachother before the squad is announced to see what the suitation is before releasing it to the press. Would save face from both sides and stop moaney w@nkers spitting out the same stuff over and over any time Keane pulls out of an Irish Squad.

[Macy]

But making himself available for selection and then withdrawing because of some phantom injury that only the ManU medical team spot? Does he think we're all children and won't spot the same pattern again and again? What about all the 'honesty' which his fan club go on about, or was that another bit made up by Dunphy?

Well Kerr seems happy with it, so what does it matter what the rest think. The only people that seem to have a problem with it are people who have a problem with Keane.

Don't think it's that strange that a player his age, who had to have an injection to play last saturday, isn't actually fit enough for a game on the Wednesday. I'd hazard a guess that if it was a Champions League game on Wednesday, that he wouldn't have played on Saturday....