ROY KEANE has questioned club managers ruling out injured players for up to a fortnight during international breaks.
Keane, No 2 to Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill, suggested it was "ironic" that players are often conveniently adjudged to be 10-14 days away from a return by their employers when they are due to meet up with their countries.
His comments came as O'Neill and him awaited news on five players, most notably Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot, Sunderland defender John O'Shea and Southampton striker Shane Long, ahead of Ireland's Euro 2016 play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The first leg is on Friday night in Zenica with the return match in Dublin on Monday.
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| Ireland coach Martin O'Neill insists it's 'ironic' that players are adjudged to be injured by clubs |
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| Rep of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane has questioned club managers ruling out injured players |
Keane had no qualms about the clubs' stances on the respective injuries but spoke of his surprise in general terms about the attitude of clubs to fitness problems.
The former Sunderland and Ipswich manager said: "You ask any of the players who worked under me, I never had a problem with players going away for internationals, never.
"I never ruled them out for 10-14 days every time there was an international match, I know that. If players were fit, they would go away. But if players aren't fit, you have got to respect the clubs. If the players aren't fit, then of course they stay at their clubs.
"But it's ironic that they all seem to get ruled out for 10-14 days. And again, not just the managers you have mentioned, it's happened with a few other club managers who have been international managers themselves."
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