Roy Keane played down the notion on Tuesday that Ireland might do anything to specifically counter the threat posed by Garth Bale in Friday night's World Cup qualifier. But he was generous in his praise of the Welshman who has the potential to make a decisive impact on the game.
“I’ve always liked him,” said the Corkman. “Even when I was manager of Sunderland he came up with Southampton and was the best player on the park. He equalised in injury-time and was excellent from left back. He’s a talented boy who has fulfilled his potential and probably more.”
But he says Ireland will not set up any differently to deal with him. “I can’t say we have any particular plan. What you find is that players and coaches have tried to come up with a plan before but top players figure it out and affect the game anyway, Bale has done that for a number of years on the big occasions.
“He’s pretty good in the air, at set-pieces, good at taking them and getting on the end of them. That’s why he’s a good player, he affects games. The top players will find a way and it’s about how you deal with him.
“We’ve got good players who are up against them. They’re clever, whether that’s on the left or the right, whoever he’s up against. Wardy [Stephen Ward] is having a good season, if he drifts out there. We’ve got Seamus [Coleman]. If he’s playing off the front, we’ve got two centre backs, we’ve got a couple of midfielders around him.
"The basic advice to any player, if you're up against a word-class player, somebody get to him, get to him as quick as you can, don't let him get his head up like he does at Real Madrid. Don't give him space in behind because the boy can run. Tackle him. Hit him . . . fairly. Tackling is part of the bloody game."
