LEGENDARY IRISH PLAYER Roy Keane says he still has “no regrets” over missing the 2002 World Cup.
Speaking near the ten-year anniversary of the incidents that led him to leave the Irish squad ahead of their games, Keane emphasised that it was manager Mick McCarthy accusing him of faking injury rather than the perceived lack of professionalism within the Irish set-up that caused him to make the decision.
Speaking to Newstalk’s Off the Ball, Keane also revealed that he didn’t see his long-term future in TV punditry, saying his current ITV contract only took him up until after the European Championships in the summer.
Meanwhile, Keane told Today FM’s The Last Word that he missed the day-to-day challenge of managing compared to his current role, saying:
“You’ll never get the buzz of playing and management, but [the punditry] keeps the brain occupied.”
He also spoke of the considerable differences between footballers of his generation and modern players, saying:
“A lot of footballers don’t necessarily love the game as much as they should do.”
And in relation to the current Ireland team, at a press conference earlier today, Keane said that he would “personally” select James McClean for the Euro 2012 squad, but added that people should “respect” manager Giovanni Trapattoni’s decision should he choose to remain loyal to the players that helped the side reach the tournament.
