Presumably, on Sunday night, Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane will be attending a Super Bowl party together, or at the very least, Whatsapping each other about Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers defence destroying the Denver Broncos.
Speaking at a fundraiser for the Train to be Smart Charity, Keane spoke of a mutual appreciation for American football which he shares with Martin O'Neill.
I feel very lucky to be working with Martin.
I love what I am doing now, and enjoy working with Martin and the players. I do not take it for granted that I’m working with good people like Martin.
After Martin became Ireland manager, he phoned me up and and asked me about joining him. I had worked with Martin as a pundit for ITV and enjoyed his company.
There are strong connections with me and Martin. We worked with Brian Clough when we were players at Nottingham Forest, we have connections with Celtic and Sunderland, and we both like American football.
We get on really well together, and you can’t put a price on that. It is massive to me.
O'Neill's love of American football is something which has been flagged previously.
In his biography of Martin O'Neill, Alex Montgomery told of the Derry man's love for the sport.
Apparently, the 63-year-old enjoys the odd 'big bet' on a game.
The relationship between a manager and his board is vital for the team's success, which means the success or otherwise of the club. There was every reason to believe O'Neill, Lerner and his emissary in the midlands, Krulak, would continue to speakl much the same language when it came to progress and Aston Villa's future. O'Neill's interest in American football will also have been seen as a plus by Lerner. O'Neill has been a follower of the game for a number of years. He watches it and will bet on the big games. When O'Neill homes in on something it can become all-engrossing and so it has been with American football.
[Goal.com]
Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
