I'll fire Ireland to Euro 2016, says Keane as LA Galaxy striker vows to play on for new boss O'Neill

Martin O'Neill and Keano. The new Republic of Ireland double act on show at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night, and for months to come.

But it’s not Roy who will be wearing the armband or lining up alongside the Ireland manager at pre-match press conferences for the Euro qualifiers and the friendlies (which Roy never did anyway).

Captain Robbie Keane has vowed to carry on playing. And although he says the phrase a lot, Mr O’Neill, on this occasion, had every reason to declare he is 'absolutely delighted'.

Leading the way: Robbie Keane (second from right) has vowed to play on for the Republic of Ireland despite his advancing years

Keane, 33, will play his 131st game for his country on Friday night and is looking to add to his 61 goals.

He has every intention of continuing to add to that impressive record when the squad meet up in March to play Serbia, providing the clean-up operation on his Achilles has been a success. And then on to the Euro 2016 campaign...

Before we knew it, the new double act were in full swing on the media stage in the Aviva on Thursday night.
Asked if he intended to start his coaching qualifications at last, Keane revealed that as well as the likely surgery on his Achilles, he will be looking to start the process in the New Year.

New man: Martin O'Neill (left) will lead the Republic into their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign

'Of course it's certainly something that I'm looking to,' he said. 'But it's first and foremost to play as long as I can, obviously.

'I wish I had done the badges a few years ago, just to have, and that's the reason why I'm doing it because it's something that down the road I would like to get in to. This January I'm speaking to the FAI about doing something. And that’s not because in the next year or so I feel I'll become a coach, far from it.'

Then there was an aside from O’Neill, along the lines of - 'if you don’t want to look like me, stay well away from management'.
'Play as long as you can,' said the current Ireland boss. 'Play til you’re 64.'

Key man: Keane celebrates yet another goal for his country against Sweden in September

Quicker than he can turn in the penalty area, Keane replied: 'I've one year left.'
It was a reference from the captain to an early comment from O’Neill that he wishes a younger Robbie Keane were sat beside him and leading the country. The lack of competition for the striker’s role is a concern to the manager.

'He's a natural goalscorer,' O’Neill said. 'And that international record is fantastic, really, really fantastic. Brilliant.

'If you look at some of the other players who have played international football for reputedly better teams than the Republic of Ireland, whose record is nowhere like that, his record is remarkable. Really remarkable. 
 
'Naturally I would have liked to have had in my time here a 23-year-old Robbie Keane instead of a 64-year-old Robbie Keane. That's a problem.'

Forward thinking: O'Neill has bemoaned the lack of clinical young striker to eventually take Keane's place up-front

When he talked about the speculation surrounding the Irish vacancy last month, Keane declared the FAI needed to employ 'a man with balls'. And Ray Houghton found two.

He is, like the rest of the country, enthused by the new management duo.
He said: 'I think you have seen the response in the last few weeks, from the whole nation. It has been incredible, and that's the lift that everybody wanted.

'You don't get two bigger characters than Martin and Roy. Everyone is enthusiastic about this partnership and the players are too.

'When we were here the last time, three names were mentioned and I didn't think we'd have two of them here, to be honest.

Fresh start: O'Neill's assistant manager Roy Keane gets on the ball in training on Tuesday

'I haven't had the pleasure of working with Martin before, there has always been a lot of speculation but for some reason it never happened. He’s a manager I would always like to have had the opportunity to work with.

'I didn't think I would get the opportunity but thankfully I have. As the gaffer says, the last few days have been very enjoyable, everyone has been on form and looking forward to a new chapter in Irish football.

'As a player over the years you see how Martin's teams played, always full of energy and enthusiastic and if that's something that Martin asks us to do, the players will do it.

'Every manager’s different so I’m not going to sit here and say anything bad about the previous regime. As far as I’m concerned the manager did a good job. But it’s a results business and we didn’t qualify.

First test: O'Neill leads his players in training ahead of Friday's friendly with Latvia

'That’s gone, it’s in the past now. We’ve got a manager that everyone has respected from afar – certainly I have over the years –I didn’t have that opportunity over the years. It’s been great so far.

'And I think I’ve been very vocal over the last few years about getting ex-players involved in the Irish set-up again. And there’s no bigger name than Roy Keane.'
There may be two Keanos again now. But, allegedly, no egos will be clashing over the coming months, and perhaps years.

On the same page: Robbie Keane says he gets along well with Roy Keane, despite the former Manchester United midfielder's past problems at international level

The player insisted on Thursday he has no problem with the assistant manager. And is looking forward to renewing their relationship.

He added: 'When I first came into the squad I was a young player coming through and Roy was a player everyone looked up to and respected. People tended to see the negative side but he was always great with me and Damien Duff and he would always speak to us.

'People forget this but Roy is a very funny guy. When you actually sit down beside him, he's very charming. I haven't had any problems with him. You judge people on how they treat you, and he was always good to me.'