At a press conference on Wednesday, Roy Keane was brutally critical of several players regarding their performances against Belarus the previous evening. Some he said should count themselves lucky to be in the squad for France.
It was put to the Ireland assistant manager that Jeff Hendrick and Daryl Murphy looked short on football, 'you can tell' he quipped.
Aiden McGeady, in particular, came in for some stinging criticism - 'I think he can do a lot better than last night, but maybe that's the story of Aiden's career'.
McGeady's club season was one of major disappointment. After it became clear that he would not be able to re-establish himself in the Everton first team, he went out on loan in Sheffield Wednesday. In ten starts, he would score just one goal and contribute zero assists. Come the playoff semi-final and final, the 30-year-old was surplus to requirements.
On BBC 5 Live last night, Kevin Kilbane questioned Keane's methods. The former Ireland international suggested if Keane had been the subject of such comments from an assistant manager during his playing career, it is not something which he would have stood for.
Someone not in the know - someone just switching on the radio - would think they were listening to the international manager. Roy Keane is the assistant manager - that's the whole point. Roy Keane has come out and questioned the ability of one player in the squad in Aiden McGeady.
I've never heard a manager come out and be critical of a player before. I'm sure it's happened at times but I've never heard it. Having played alongside Roy, if any assistant manager he had played for came out and questioned one of his teammates or him, he would have been the first to go and knock on the manager's door and the assistant manager's door and ask 'What are you doing?'
I think Roy's bang out of order with what he said - particularly about Aiden. Again, I go back to the point, he's the assistant manager and you need to know your role. Roy's supposed to be the buffer between the players and the manager. The only thing that's going to do is alienate Roy from the players. Now I'm sure Roy not that bothered, he doesn't care but you've got to into this tournament with some kind of harmony. Roy Keane has a vital role to play as that buffer between Martin O'Neill and the players.
Martin O'Neill might not necessarily want to be coming out saying the things that Roy has said but Roy has just got to care a little sometimes.
You can listen to Kilbane on 5 Live below.
