Roy Keane admitted that after Ireland training sessions, he would “scream into a pillow” after a tense clash with an Irish player.
Roy Keane is a true legend of Irish football and is often seen as one of the best players Ireland has ever had. Interestingly, though, he isn’t in the exclusive group of seven players who have made 100 or more appearances for the national team. Still, his contributions on the field earned him great respect from all Irish players and fans alike because he set very high standards.
He carried that same passion into his coaching career, especially when he worked as Martin O’Neill’s assistant with the Ireland team. However, this role also led to a clash with one of Ireland’s top players, where Keane admitted that sometimes watching training was so frustrating it made him “scream into a pillow.”
Keane worked alongside O’Neill for five years, helping Ireland reach the 2016 European Championships. They made it to the knockout stages but were knocked out by France. They then tried to qualify for the 2018 World Cup but lost to Denmark in the playoffs, which ended their time on the coaching staff.
One memorable moment came in 2017 during a friendly against Mexico. Ireland lost the game, but it was special for James McClean, who earned his 50th cap. In McClean’s recent autobiography, ‘The Walls,’ he talks about a disagreement he had with Keane after that match. The issue started when McClean took a photo with Irish Olympic boxer Michael Conlan before the game, and Keane felt this showed a lack of focus.
McClean tried to discuss things with Keane before a press conference, but they didn’t get the chance. Later that night, Keane went to McClean’s hotel room to clear the air. Keane came prepared and even brought up a story about McClean and a £300k Lamborghini. He also admitted that sometimes he found it hard to watch how poorly Ireland trained.
McClean said, “There’s days after training where the standard is so poor, I go home and scream into the pillow.” But the winger didn’t take the criticism lightly and defended his professionalism. After their argument, when McClean scored in the next game against Uruguay, he celebrated with a selfie — playfully teasing Keane about their earlier clash over the pre-game photo.
McClean is one of only seven Irish players to reach 100 or more caps. He earned 103 appearances, putting him fifth on Ireland’s all-time list. Steve Staunton and Damian Duff also made the list but with fewer appearances—102 and 100, respectively.
Leading the way is Robbie Keane, who holds the record with 146 caps and is also Ireland’s top scorer with 68 goals. Shay Given is second with 134 appearances as goalkeeper, and current assistant manager John O’Shea has 118. Kevin Kilbane, known by many Premier League fans for his time at Everton, Wigan Athletic, and Sunderland, is fourth with 110 caps.