FOOTBALL: KEANE BLOW TO FANS' HOPES

ROY KEANE is unlikely to play for Ireland again - even though his nemesis Mick McCarthy is no longer the manager.

Despite Keane's declaration after the World Cup that he would don the green shirt again only when McCarthy was no longer in charge, sources close the the 31-year-old Manchester United captain feel he may have burnt too many bridges with team-mates and officials.

More importantly as far as the Manchester United midfield dynamo is concerned, he wants to concentrate all his efforts on helping his club re-discover their thirst for trophies.

Keane is anxious to repay the loyalty shown to him by United and Sir Alex Ferguson by staying injury-free for the remainder of his career at Old Trafford.

And that may mean sacrificing his international career - like Alan Shearer did by retiring from the England scene to concentrate his efforts on performing for his club Newcastle.

The midfielder went to the World Cup despite needing surgery to repair knee and hip complaints.

He feels it will not be fair on either himself or United to carry on with the grind of playing for both club and country, especially when less than 100 per cent fit.

Irish bosses are aware that the pride that prompted Keane to quit the World Cup campaign means he is likely to resist any overtures to return.

Bryan Robson's name has been linked with the Ireland job purely because he has a close relationship with the player from his playing days at Old Trafford.

Some on the FAI believe the Irishman will be swayed by the appointment of his former team-mate - an international captain of repute.

Meanwhile, Keane was advised that his five-match FA ban and record pounds 150,000 fine would have been overturned if he had taken his appeal to the law courts because it was based on flawed evidence.

Keane had been charged with misconduct after admitting in his autobiography that his ugly challenge on Alf Inge Haaland in the Manchester derby was premeditated.

He was then hit by a second charge because he gained financially from the incident by outlining it fully in his book.

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