Keane at it again...

**AustinoAsprilla** · 27/03/2007, 9:32 AM

(from RTE website)

http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0327/ireland1.html

Keane questions Given approach

Roy Keane believes Republic of Ireland captain Shay Given has played too many games for his country.

The Newcastle United goalkeeper will tomorrow night equal Pat Bonner's 80-cap record for Ireland, in the Euro 2008 qualifying match at Croke Park.

But Sunderland manager Keane claims other goalkeepers should have started friendly internationals, claiming Given has picked up caps to get 'a pat on the back'.

Keane said: 'I think players have agendas - certain players come over all the time no matter what.

'Maybe they want to get 50 or 100 caps and a pat on the back for it.

'I think Shay's one of those ones - he wants to get 200 caps.'

Given, 30, had a spell on loan at Sunderland 11 years ago, before joining their north-east rivals for �1.5million from Blackburn the following year.

And Keane continued in The Sun: 'Shay seems to have played every game - even friendlies.

'You have other keepers, who travel all the time. Then, when they do play, they're taken off.

'I've always thought, when it comes to the lads who travel all the time, "give them a game".

'Qualifiers you have to win - but with friendly matches, give the lads who travel a game and don't be changing them at half-time, give them a full game.'

Prior to Saturday's 1-0 Euro 2008 qualfying defeat of Wales in Dublin, Keane accused those in the current Republic line-up of under-performing and also claimed there was a bias against Cork-based players.

**NeilMcD** · 27/03/2007, 9:35 AM

2 things here, he is bang out of order to say that about Given and secondly from a back up perspective he is right but that is up to the manager. Dean Kiely should have played more games for us in friendlies etc. However Given should not not get the blame for this.

**gufct** · 27/03/2007, 9:38 AM

read that in some paper on saturday .He has some neck Given has been brilliant for Ireland and this may be a bridge to far for most genuine Irish supporters.Roy should button it and get on with his own job.

**youngirish** · 27/03/2007, 9:56 AM

Keane has some silly little bitter agenda here. He's trying to hang all those players who didn't support him in Saipan I believe. Given has been a better servant for us than him so he's bang out of order. He's also being disruptive at a time when he should keep his mouth shut. We need to beat Slovakia tomorrow and all this sh*te helps no-one. Keep quiet until Wednesday night.

**citizenerased** · 27/03/2007, 10:03 AM

I agree he has no business slaggin off given, he has been are best player since keane left...a true servant...fantastic keeper

**onenilgameover** · 27/03/2007, 10:11 AM

Brilliant he's slagging him off for having the drive and commitment to play for your country at every possible opportunity...ridiculous....shut up roy...

**OwlsFan** · 27/03/2007, 10:12 AM

Reading between the lines, he's trying to make excuses for why he didn't "do friendlies" (letting others get a chance

).

Dean Kiely should have played more games for us but as someone has said, that's not Shay's fault. To slag off someone for always making themselves available to play for their country is way over the top, even for Keane.

**Billsthoughts** · 27/03/2007, 10:12 AM

I read the original piece and it didnt have the " I think shay is one of them" quote in it. but again so what? the team have a chance of qualifying and any real Irish supporters should concentrate on that and not be bothered by silly ****e

**eirebhoy** · 27/03/2007, 10:20 AM

RTE were a bit slow picking this up. He said it last Friday. It must have only made the English papers today.

**IsMiseSean** · 27/03/2007, 10:21 AM

I agreed with him on the Liam Miller (that he should be in the squad) but not on this! Shay is a legend for us, there should never be a bad word said about him

**paul_oshea** · 27/03/2007, 10:31 AM

keane should shut the fcuk up

hopefully everyone will given a huge cheer when his name is read out tomorrow

**galwayhoop** · 27/03/2007, 10:42 AM

next he will be having a go for shay making himself available for WC2002!!

given is a legend and should be commended for always making himself available despite having a young family, reaching his 30's and being an automatic 1st choice player. if only we had more players in the shay given mould.

also some people's (espically young kids) only chance to see the national team is at friendlies and they want to see the top players in them. keane is way off the mark on this one.

maybe he is critising given because he plays for newcastle and is attempting to curry more favour with his sunderland supporters, doubt it but you never know. i seriously wouldn't put anything past the man. he is a manipulative and vindictive person. he bears grudges for longer than most have war wounds - alfie haaland, two years was it?.

great player who may in turn be a great manager and even an irish manager at some point but he sould really keep stum on the current irish players, at least those who give a damn anyway!

**Nailer77** · 27/03/2007, 10:42 AM

Keane could probably do with shutting his mouth for a bit now, he made a lot of fair points last week but how this one is relevant is beyond me.

**nedder** · 27/03/2007, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Nailer77

Keane could probably do with shutting his mouth for a bit now, he made a lot of fair points last week but how this one is relevant is beyond me.

Its not only not relevant, he's way out of order on this one.

**Jerry The Saint** · 27/03/2007, 11:30 AM

I know Robbie Keane gets a lot of stick but he was genuinely gutted to be suspended for tomorrow's game. Both him and Duff have spoken in the past about how they always want to make themselves available to play for their country.

Definitely Roy seems to be justifying his own attitude to friendlies and the like while having a go at others (something he does a lot actually)

**Hobbes** · 27/03/2007, 11:30 AM

Way out of order

**cullenswood** · 27/03/2007, 11:35 AM

He said this last Friday and he didn't say it in the context it is now being reported. I think he was implying that some of the other keepers should have gotten a chance in the friendlies to gain experience, which makes sense. Don't think he was actually having a go at Shay

**gustavo** · 27/03/2007, 11:36 AM

What an arsehole.

**Lim till i die** · 27/03/2007, 11:38 AM

What a horrible, nasty, base, treacherous little man

The best he can be accused of here is stupidity

**eighties mullet** · 27/03/2007, 11:41 AM

typical sh**e from Keane he was out of order last week and this nonsense hes spewing now critising a player for wanting to represent his country at every available oppurtunity!! its ridiculous.
he's a bitter twisted scumbag with deeprooted psychological problems ala saipan, only keane could walk out on his country,
how he still has supporters in this country amazes me