O’Neill: Keane row is sorted

MARTIN O’NEILL has confirmed that he and Roy Keane have both had ‘altercations’ with Republic of Ireland players – and he wants the difference of opinion to continue. ‘I want players to be up front. But you can voice an opinion without it escalating,’ said O’Neill, who revealed that Keane argued with Jon Walters and Harry Arter before Ireland played the USA in the summer. ‘The situation has been defused and it’s just part of things,’ said O’Neill who didn’t deny Keane has had verbal spats with players more than once in his five years as Irish No 2. ‘It wouldn’t be the first one and I had one myself just before the Euros,’ said the manager. That Keane falls out with folk is not unusual, and he has previous form with Walters when he was the striker’s manager at Ipswich. Meanwhile, James McClean led by example as Stoke City bounced back after their dressing room bust-up in mid-week. McClean, 29, scored, and was later booked, as Stoke beat Hull City 2-0.