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20th December 2021
12:57pm GMT

"I played against him up at the City Ground, because this lad ran from box to box, and wouldn't stop running. "But, also, he was a brilliant footballer. He ran with the ball, without the ball, and wherever he was supposed to be going, he just got there."[caption id="attachment_244768" align="aligncenter" width="594"]
Roy Keane (c) outpaces Alan Dickens (l) and Steve Clarke of Chelsea during a League Division One match for Nottingham Forest in 1991. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Allsport/Getty Images)[/caption]
"He kind of scared a few people, as well, because he was Irish and people [in England] were a bit more wary of him and were wondering, 'Where did he come from?' Because the Irish lads were often coming over at a later age and had not gone through the youth systems over there. He appeared and he was absolutely brilliant."McGrath uses the term "frightening" again when he speaks of what Keane was then like to train and play with. "When he was on a football pitch, doing a 5-a-side or anything like that, he was frightening, because he was that good," he says.
"He'd take the ball from anyone and he'd keep it, right until he was ready to give it to someone else! "So, we knew all about him and we were thrilled that he was maturing into this kind of leader, as well."[caption id="attachment_244756" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Roy Keane beats Giuseppe Signori to the ball, at Giants Stadium during USA 94, as Paul McGrath watches on. (Credit: Simon Bruty/ALLSPORT)[/caption]
"He wasn't trying to be-little, hurt or have a pop at Mick, or anything like that. We wouldn't have allowed that. "I got on really well with Roy, but I wouldn't have let him sound off too much, I don't think anyway. And I was not one to start a row - I'd be one of the quietest on the bus - but I wouldn't like to see a kid disrespect someone who was older. And Mick McCarthy, to my mind, was one of the best Irish defenders ever. So I certainly would not have wanted a new kid on the block telling him where he should go. "But that was all taken well. I never had to say 'You're out of order' to Roy. Not once."Given all the great Ireland players he shared a pitch with, over his 12-year international career, McGrath's regard for Keane is clear. "Roy and Liam Brady," he says, "they are the two greatest Irish footballers I ever played with."
Paul McGrath is an ambassador for Repak’s Team Green. By joining Repak Team Green, not only will you be pledging to recycle more and better, you can also get handy tips on how to do so. It takes just two minutes to join Repak Team Green at repak.ie/teamgreen.
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