Keane to reassess Ireland role after Euros

Keane’s walkout on the eve of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea has gone down in Irish folklore and the seven-times Premier League victor could not resist recalling the episode after Ireland beat Bosnia on Monday to reach the finals in France.

“When I look back I’ll think this is a very, very proud moment”.

“Even talking about it now, I’m getting butterflies”. I’m sorry, I’m not William Wordsworth or William Shakespeare, so I can’t find another word at the moment.

Now four years older and a regular player in Tony Pulis’ side, he is likely to feature more heavily this time around.

However, he was once again at pains to insists that he was not the story after his players fought back from the point of elimination from the race for qualification from Group D back in June following a 1-1 home draw with Scotland.

“This has always been my dream, to play in front of an Irish support as good as tonight”.

Hero Walters said: “To qualify the way we did is unbelievable”.

“There have been a few dark days”.

Current manager Gareth Ainsworth congratulated O’Neill on his worldwide success and spoke of his respect for the 63-year-old who has taken a career path he would one day like to replicate. That was the case, although I still believed it was in our own hands.

“The way we have qualified, I don’t think you could ask for better”.

“It’s pretty special and I’m delighted”.

Coleman also paid a glowing tribute to his understudy Cyrus Christie of Derby County.

“Hopefully I will be in the 23 when we go there (to Euro 2016). It is textbook stuff as you often see players when that chance comes up in a big global take a slice at it, it does not come off for them and it goes over the bar, but he was textbook”.

“He was fantastic against Germany and so was David Meyler when we were away to Germany. We have a few games coming up in March and it might be a case they get an opportunity to stake a claim”.

The Republic of Ireland secured their spot at next year’s European Championships at the expense of Bosnia-Herzegovina, securing a 2-0 win in Dublin.

“‘Gibbo’ is a top player since he joined Everton and since I started playing for Ireland”.

The Scot claimed Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes were the only world-class players who played under him at United.