Roy Keane has called his time as the Republic of Ireland’s assistant manager the highlight of his football career.
The Manchester United legend won everything at club level during his 17 years as a player, before taking to the dugout as a coach after hanging up his boots in 2006.
After spells as manager of Sunderland and Ipswich, Keane then joined Martin O’Neill‘s coaching setup with the Republic of Ireland between 2013 and 2018, where he served as assistant boss.
This proved to be a successful period, as the Irishman helped his country to qualify for Euro 2016, while they suffered defeat in the playoffs to make the 2018 World Cup.
And it’s fair to say that Keane enjoyed this time, so much so in fact that he has called it his ultimate footballing experience.
Appearing on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast alongside his former boss O’Neill, the 53-year-old opened up on the surprise career highlight.
He said: “I go back throughout my career, my experience with Ireland, with Martin, and particularly going to Euros, [it was] probably the highlight of my career, which sounds bizarre.”
Keane’s revelation here will no doubt come as a shock to many given the huge success he tasted on the pitch.
The most decorated captain in Man United’s history, he won the Premier League seven times, as well as lifting the Champions League in 1999, on top of three FA Cup titles.
Despite this, however, Keane revealed that the atmosphere in the Irish camp during his time in charge made this time an incredibly memorable period.
He continued: “We always talk about playing – it’s all about playing, of course, love playing.
“But our time with Ireland was probably the highlight. I just loved everything about it, the dynamics, the energy, the group.
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“Working with Martin and the other staff members, we had something going on there. There was a feel-good factor. The lads were decent. We did lack probably an out-and-out goalscorer.
“We lacked a bit of quality. All those things. But we got to the Euros, we missed out on the [World Cup] playoff. One of the best times of my life.”
The surprise revelation certainly left O’Neill shocked, who then expressed his joy at Keane’s fond memories of their time working together.
He said: “It’s extraordinary for you to say that, for the medals that you’ve won in the game, to think that that is the highlight.
“Honestly, that’s really genuinely lovely to hear.”
While the team spirit whilst part of the national team’s coaching set-up left a lasting impact on Keane, his time in the dugout alongside O’Neill also brought success.
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At Euro 2016, Ireland reached the knockout stage of a European Championship for just the second time in their history, as they clinched their place in the round of 16 with a memorable 1-0 victory over Italy.
And the 67-cap former Ireland star revealed that he felt much better suited to the demands of international football coaching compared to club management.
He explained: “It was a nice change for me. Different role, different dynamics. I love the flow of international football. You’re there for a few weeks, it’s intense, and then you step back.
“I loved everything about it.”