Roy Keane has ripped into the Irish FA (FAI) for how they handled the appointment of manager Heimir Hallgrimsson last summer.
The Republic of Ireland have endured a dire week, with a disastrous 2-1 defeat by minnows Armenia on Tuesday leaving their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup hanging by the smallest of threads.
Keane, whose last managerial role ended in January 2011 when he was sacked by Ipswich, revealed he had been spoken to about the Ireland job just over a year ago, before he slammed the process.
Asked by Gary Neville on the latest Stick To Football podcast if he had discussed the role with the FAI, Keane said: ‘Yeah, of course. But I think they spoke to every Tom, Dick and Harry.
‘The reason you might take the job is because you think you might help the team. You could help them. You could get them organised, a bit of fight, a bit of spirit, although I know that’s not always enough.
‘But yeah, I spoke about the job. But even that was a farce, the amount of people that have come out in the last six months that said they were offered the job. But that’s the FAI, I’ve said it before, they couldn’t organise a p*** up in a brewery.’
Roy Keane has ripped into the Irish FA after their disastrous defeat by Armenia on Tuesday
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Keane revealed he was interviewed for the job before Heimir Hallgrimsson was appointed
Reports over the past 12 months have claimed the likes of Lee Carsley, Chris Hughton, Gus Poyet and John O’Shea were linked with the role before Hallgrimsson took the job.
However, the former Iceland and Jamaica boss has struggled, with his only victories coming against Bulgaria and Finland.
Keane played 67 times for Ireland before serving as Martin O’Neill’s assistant between 2013 and 2018 and admitted he is worried about the state of football in his home country.
‘You look at the manager and you fear for them, they’re up against it,’ he added. ‘It’s sad, it’s a long way back. But the FAI as well need to get their house in order.
‘Get some proper people in there. Some people who interviewed me for the job, they’re gone now, there’s always people coming and going.
‘You hope this manager can get his act together and get some results, but it doesn’t look good.’
Keane admitted he ‘feared’ for Ireland and ripped into the state of the Irish Football Association
Keane served as Martin O’Neill’s assistant manager with Ireland between 2013 and 2018
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Keane, who has been occasionally linked with a return to coaching in recent years, was then pressed on whether he would take the job in the future if he was offered it.
‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Honestly, until you’re asked the question, it’s not on my radar.
‘There’s obviously an emotional side to it, of course there would be. For all the negative stuff, it’s still a great job for somebody.
‘I love the flow of the job, having the players for those two weeks. There’s a different type of energy to your life, it’s not day in, day out.’
