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Football

02nd Mar 2019

Roy Keane gets booked as Nottingham Forest assistant manager

Jack O'Toole

“Siri, find me the most Roy Keane thing ever”

Nottingham Forest assistant manager Roy Keane was booked during the club’s 2-0 loss to Stoke on Saturday.

Oghenekaro Etebo and Benik Afobe scored either side of half-time to give the Potters a vital win while Forest suffered just their second defeat under Martin O’Neill.

Keane spent five years with O’Neill with the Republic of Ireland before they departed late last year and O’Neill was keen to get the former Manchester United back on board in their return to the former club.

“I would dearly like him to join us, this has happened very quickly and he has a number of things to sort out himself and we’ve had some discussions here,” O’Neill said.

“I’d like him to join if that’s the case, there’s a spot open for him and I’m hoping that may happen. It may not, he has a number of things obviously to consider himself, personally and professionally, but he will keep me informed but I would dearly like him to join up.”

O’Neill admitted that Keane could be difficult to handle at times with his public falling out with both Jon Walters and Harry Arter in Ireland camp serving as high profile examples of his volatile nature but that his temperament is ultimately what makes him special according to O’Neill.

 “He was a great asset to me when I was the manager of Ireland. We had some really great days.

“He’s tough to handle, there’s no doubt about that, but that’s what probably makes him pretty special. He was a special footballer, drove Manchester United on for 10 years and he didn’t win those things by just sitting around.”