Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill believes that Roy Keane’s decision to accept the role as Paul Lambert’s number two at Aston Villa is a positive move.
Keane linked up with the Premier League side this week to start working alongside Lambert and start the process of getting to know the squad.
The Former Sunderland and Ipswich manager, who was already working as the number two to O’Neill, insists that his new role will not impede his international duties.
O’Neill is keen to keep his assistant close by as the qualification process for Euro 2016 is on the horizon but he believes that getting more experience under his belt with be beneficial for both parties.
The Republic boss revealed that Keane had promised to the FAI that his time with Villa would not tread on his responsibilities with Ireland who are priced at 15.00 to win Group D of Euro 2016 qualification.
O’Neill said: “I know that if we couldn’t have made it work, he wouldn’t have taken the job in the first place.
“If his commitments to us – both on the commercial side and certainly from my viewpoint in terms of the time working with players – is not impinged at all then I’m happy for it to go ahead, genuinely happy.
“Villa have agreed to give him all that time with us and therefore I don’t really have a problem with it. I spoke with Paul to see how he felt it was going to work.”
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