Houghton: Move for Keane is not for show
RAY HOUGHTON has dismissed the notion that Robbie Keane is merely providing window-dressing to Mick McCarthy’s appointment as Ireland manager – insisting the new coach is no ‘patsy’.
McCarthy will be unveiled by the FAI tomorrow for his second stint as manager, bringing in long-time assistant Terry Connor and Keane to form part of his backroom team.
Ireland’s record goalscorer previously said that he’d favour assuming a role similar to that of former assistant boss Roy Keane. He now seems likely to be tasked with injecting some spark into a team devoid of attacking intent over the past year.
‘Robbie’s never been involved in something that he’s not had a say,’ noted former Ireland international Houghton about Keane, who retired from international football in 2016 with 68 goals in 146 games.
‘Mick will allow him to do that because Robbie won’t be sitting around being some patsy. The first thing he can do is improve our tally of shots on target.’
Houghton was involved in headhunting McCarthy’s predecessors Martin O’Neill and Giovanni Trapattoni but wasn’t called upon to do so this time as a swift appointment was made.
Having had the rare distinction of playing alongside, and under, McCarthy during his Ireland career, Houghton thinks he can navigate what promises to be a daunting draw next Sunday for the 2020 European Championships.
‘History always repeats itself,’ claimed Houghton.
‘Change has worked for the FAI. Giovanni Trapttoni came in after Steve Staunton in 2008 and qualified us for the Euros in 2012 – then you could see the cracks appearing. There were problems and we had to make a change.
‘Martin was brought in and straight away got us to the Euro in 2016.
‘We all know that the cracks starting to form under Martin in the past year and the FAI have gone for a man like Mick who knows the game. The players have forgotten how to win.
‘This is similar situation to 10 years ago and there’s no reason why history won’t repeat itself.
‘I’m very positive that we’ll be hosting matches at the next Euros that we’ll be involved in.’