Mike McCarthy’s silence on Roy Keane speaks volumes

Mick McCarthy yesterday contrived to blank six separate questions about Roy Keane’s return to the Irish international scene.

Proving once again that hell hath no fury like a manager scorned, McCarthy’s silence spoke considerably louder than words as he repeatedly refused to be drawn on the subject of Keane’s appointment as Martin O’Neill’s No 2.

Then the Keane questions arrived and were met by lengthy silences and thousand-yard stares, interrupted only when one inquisitor informed McCarthy that he and Keane fell out in 2002.

The question of whether Keane will prove as successful working as O’Neill’s assistant is almost as divisive as whether he was right or wrong to act the way he did in Saipan all those years ago.

“I’m sure he’ll become a better manager after working with someone as experienced as O’Neill in the long term.

“Martin O’Neill wouldn’t have taken him on otherwise and while it’s going to be slightly different for him to step down into an assistant role, that could benefit him in the long run.”