Roy Keane’s lips sealed over hotel rumpus
Martin O’Neill’s assistant declined to discuss the furore which engulfed the camp on Wednesday last week after Gardai were called to the team hotel in Portmarnock following an alleged altercation with another man. Speaking to the media at the same venue for the first time since the incident, Keane’s response when asked if he was prepared to discuss what happened, was: “No, I’m not.”
Wearing the same frown he adopted when confronted on the sideline at Celtic Park by match referee Milorad Mazic during Friday night’s feisty 1-0 Group D defeat in Glasgow, he was similarly taciturn when asked if the publicity had proved a distraction. He said: “No.”
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Although Gardai attended – the Football Association of Ireland later insisted at Keane’s request – no arrest was made nor complaint received. Keane insisted he and O’Neill’s position in the limelight does not dictate where they can and cannot go. He said: “No. We go into Malahide and have a coffee, it’s fine. We were out last night for a meal, it was fine,” before adding with a flicker of a smile: “We’re not One Direction.”
• Greece have named Kostas Tsanas as their interim coach following the sacking of Claudio Ranieri. Although the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) is yet to formally announce the departure of Ranieri – with the delay reportedly due to discussions over compensation – a statement on Sunday said that Tsanas, the under-21s head coach, would take temporary charge of the team for Tuesday’s friendly against Serbia.
Ranieri, who took over the side in July, saw his fate sealed by Friday’s 1-0 shock home defeat by the Faroe Islands, their fourth straight loss in the Euro 2016 qualification campaign.
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