February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The 70-year-old Italian-born boss says that with Keane in the mix, Ireland have a chance of at least getting a draw with his native country. It’s believed that Keane flew out to Bari from Manchester late Monday evening.
Trapattoni said: ‘Roy retired because of a hip problem, but he tells me that he no longer has any problems with the hip. Don’tforget Roy is still only 37. Dino Zoff won a World Cup medal with Italy when he was 40. Roy has been out of the game since quitting as Sunderland manager last December, but I know that he has kept in shape by training on his own.
?With Damien Duff missing I feel that we need Roy’s steel in midfield this evening. With Stephen Ireland refusing to comeback I feel that we are lacking something in midfield and Roy could be the man.’
Keane walked out on the Irish team after a row with Mick McCarthy in Saipan back in 2002, but later returned to play nine more times for his country under Brian Kerr. The Cork-born midfielder says he would like to have another go at the World Cup. ‘Looking back I suppose I messed up in Saipan and I feel that if we qualify for the 2010 finals I could play a holding role just ahead of the back four. I feel I owe it to the Irish supporters to make up for Saipan. I hope I don’t make a fool of myself!’
Keane is not the first Irishman to make a dramatic comeback to international sport after apparent retirement. Back in 1970, Tony O’Reilly was recalled by the Irish rugby selectors after a seven-year absence for a game against England at Twickenham. On the day of the game O’Reilly, who was managing director of Heinz UK at the time, arrived at the ground in his own chauffer-driven limousine.