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Reid and Keane during a World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands in 2004. INPHO
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'Roy demands high standards. You need to be mentally strong with him': Andy Reid defends Keane amid criticism

The former Ireland midfielder has defended Keane after facing criticism for his management style.

ANDY REID HAS defended his former Ireland team-mate Roy Keane amid recent criticism of the Cork native’s management style.

Keane recently linked back up with Martin O’Neill at Nottingham Forest, with the pair having enjoyed a successful five year spell in charge of the Irish national team.

The 47-year-old faced backlash after clashes with Harry Arter and Jonathan Walters came to light. Reid, however, has backed Keane, seeing no issue with his approach to management.

“Listen, Roy is demanding,” Reid said speaking to TalkSport. “He demands high standards. He demands things and you need to be mentally strong working with him. I don’t see any problem with that.

“People are saying: ‘oh well you can’t treat players like that anymore’. What you can’t demand high standards? You can demand high standards. Day in, day out.

Roy Keane Keane spent five years in charge of Ireland and has linked back up with Martin O'Neill at Nottingham Forest. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

“Pass the ball properly. 10-yard pass, make sure it’s done properly. If there’s a tackle there to be made, tackle. Do it properly. Everything do it properly.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that and if people can’t deal with that then they need to work on their personalities.”

Reid earned 29 caps for Ireland between 2003 and 2013, lining out alongside Keane on numerous occasions in midfield under Brian Kerr.

He was called up under O’Neill and Keane and made his final international appearance under their tenure, playing 75 minutes during a 3-1 friendly win against Kazakhstan in October 2013.

The former Sunderland and Forest midfielder provided some insight on what Keane’s role in the management partnership was, explaining that in his experience players respond to his one-to-one advice.

“I was in two or three squads with him when Martin took over and Roy was in there and it is a different dynamic for Roy; he’s not the manager.

“Although he’s going to let you know his opinion, there’s times when he has to step back, and there’s times when he has to be the one going up to people and having that quiet little chat with them.

“But listen if Roy Keane is coming up and having that quiet little chat with you, you’re going to respond to him.

Reid added: “I remember playing with him and I’d say Roy is one of the best players I played with, because whenever he came into a team they raised their game by one or two per cent — because he was in the team.

“Not because of anything he did on the ball, because he was there and because of his personality. Now if everyone on the team raises their game by one or two per cent, your team is going up by 10 or 20 per cent in your performance.

“I’ve never seen another player have that type of an effect on a team before and Roy is probably still trying to find his way to do that in coaching and in management and when he does I think he can be very, very successful.”

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