Roy Keane Q&A: ‘Martin’s his own man, he’s got his own success behind him’

What impressed you about Martin O'Neill?
"Obviously, his knowledge of football, his hunger, his desire, his track record, the way his teams play, the way he comes across. Is that enough? I don't want to go overboard on him (laughs).

"I came across Martin briefly years ago. I went up to watch a Celtic match and had a brief conversation with him afterwards. Obviously, I'd come across him as a manager. Strangely enough, we had one or two decent results against Villa when I was at Sunderland.; beat them at Villa Park. Got robbed up at Sunderland from a set-piece – but we drew with them."

What about his offbeat personality?
"Yeah, there's an attraction to that. I think a lot of people in football can be very robotic players, managers and staff. I think Martin brings something different and hopefully I'll do the same. Hopefully that chemistry will work.

"I've worked with Martin in terms of TV games which is a totally different environment – very relaxed – whatever happens in the game is almost irrelevant to us. But now it's a case of working together, making sure we're well prepared and that we try and win football matches."

Too simplistic to liken him to Brian Clough?
"Ah, yeah. I think that's unfair on any manager. I think it's happened to a few managers who've played under Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson when they go into management.

“No, Martin’s his own man, he’s got his own success behind him. He still has that hunger and desire for more success and that reflects in the way his teams play.

"Any time I've come across a Martin O'Neill team, even when I was a player against Leicester , you're always in for a hard game. And that's what you want. You always want your team to be hard to beat, first and foremost. And hopefully we'll do that with Ireland."

Is the potential to learn from him an attraction of the job?
"Absolutely, 100 per cent. That was a big attraction. I have looked at Martin closely. Even when I was out of the game, I looked to see what kind of managers I could work under, because I know you have to get the right chemistry and Martin would have worked in the past with people he has known for a long time or knew from his playing days, like Seamus.

“But if you asked me six months or a year ago would Martin be the type of manager I would like to work under, absolutely, but that doesn’t mean it will work out. We have come across each other with ITV. We are not a pals act.

"Martin is a very serious manager and I'm hoping he's looking at me thinking I have the chance of being a decent coach or manager and (that I'll) bring something. But hopefully working with Martin will be a good experience for me."

There's been more hype about you than Martin?
"Nah, that's all part of the game, shall we say. I know what it's all about. It's about coming over here and getting results for the Irish team and once we do that hopefully everyone will be happy. If we don't get results, we know what's coming. That's the nature of the game.

"Martin's been around a hell of a long time. As much as I've said I'm always happy to work under certain managers, it had to be a manager of Martin's calibre. I've got massive respect for Martin – we're certainly not buddies. Hopefully we'll work well together."

Martin joked he would be bad cop and you would be bad, bad cop?
"I think Martin got it wrong! I'm going to be good cop. You don't know Martin as well as you think you do. He makes me look like Mother Theresa. It should be interesting."

At any stage did the possibility of you being Ireland manager come up?
"I'm not really sure, you'll have to ask the FAI. I said myself from day one that I felt Martin was the right man. The situation was that the FAI were taking their time to make their own decision.

"So the fact that I thought Martin was the right guy worked out well because he was interested in bringing me onboard. It's good.

Do you think that you might succeed him if he goes of own volition?
"Listen, ah Jesus Christ, who knows? I think the media love that one, 'what if, what if?' but just enjoy the moment, Jesus Christ. You don't know; you don't know what's around the corner. What if things go badly? Would you want me to stay?"
He says you were wrong in Saipan?
"Martin is entitled to be wrong."