Roy Keane: Euro 2016 with Ireland was the highlight of my career
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Roy Keane ranks working as Martin O'Neill's assistant manager with the Republic of Ireland and helping the Boys in Green enjoy a run at Euro 2016 as the highlight of his career.
O'Neill was the latest guest on the 'Stick to Football' podcast which had the duo recalling their time together in the Ireland dugout.
Keane was part of O'Neill's coaching setup from 2013 to 2018 and during that time Ireland qualified for the last 16 of the Euros, where they were narrowly beaten by hosts France, and reached the play-offs for the World Cup, where they were heavily beaten by Denmark in the second leg in Dublin.
"I go back throughout my career and my experience with Martin, particularly going to the Euros, was probably the highlight of my career," admitted Keane who, of course, enjoyed a distinguished playing career with Manchester United.
"It sounds bizarre because we always talk about playing, and I loved playing, but our time with Ireland was probably the highlight.
"I just loved everything about it. The dynamics, the energy of the group, working with Martin and the other staff members. There was something going on there and there was a feel-good factor.
"The lads were decent. We probably did lack an out-and-out goalscorer, a bit of quality, all of those things, but we got to the Euros, we got to the playoffs [for the World Cup]. It was one of the best times of my life."
The Cork native also went into further detail on how he was able to work so well under O'Neill, although he briefly referred to a well known moment when he fell out with Jonathan Walters and Harry Arter.
"I wouldn't say Martin would give me leeway, but he knew my personality and would let me bring that to the squad," Keane continued.
"I obviously had to know boundaries. I probably fell out with two players that I would have no time for because, to me, they weren't training properly.
"I would rather fall out with them than not do my job, ignore it and pretend it's not happening.
"The one or two players I fell out with Ireland I have no problem with that because they weren't doing what we wanted them to do.
"I would regret more if I kept my mouth shut and said nothing."
During the show, O'Neill dicussess his own playing career at Nottingham Forest and his managerial career, particularly at Celtic, before the topic on working with Keane at Ireland, and how it all came about, cropped up.
"We had done work together on TV and I didn’t really know Roy at all, maybe only by reputation,” said O’Neill.
"The Republic of Ireland job came up I never had any problem taking him on. He was a big character and divided opinion with Saipan and the like, but I never had a problem with that.
"Roy had fought with most people at the time and John Delaney was the chief executive at this stage. He was a fan of Roy’s ability, but Roy had given him a bit of stick over time.
"When I told him I wanted to bring in an assistant and I wanted to bring Roy Keane in. After 15 minutes when I pulled him off the floor, he (Delaney) was terrific.”