Delaney - Bygones will be bygones

John Delaney says that 'bygones will be bygones' as the Football Association of Ireland confirmed the imminent appointment of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane as the new Republic of Ireland management team.

Even with a high-profile manager of O'Neill's standing taking the reins, it is the appointment of Keane as his number two that has dominated the talk.

This morning, the FAI confirmed that the talks process had reached 'an advanced stage'. Agreement has been reached between the relevant parties, however, and all that is left is for the paper work to be signed.

With a deal signed and sealed the delivery will come on Saturday when O'Neill is unveiled at a press conference, though it is understood that Keane will not be present at that event.

The Corkman divides opinion like no other figure in Irish football. Delaney, though, insists that any previous disagreements Keane has had with the Association or its members have been put to bed.

Just before the World Cup in 2002 a dispute and a stand-off with manager Mick McCarthy resulted in Keane, then the Irish captain, flying home and playing no part in the tournament.

This morning, Saipan - the small Pacific Ireland on which Ireland's football world erupted that summer - was trending on Twitter.

Delaney insists that there will be no issues between he and the fiery Keane, with whom he met twice in the last week.

"The Roy Keane I met last week impressed me," Delaney said this morning on Newstalk.

"Anything that would have been said by Roy or I to each other or about each other is now irrelevant. 

"It's irrelevant because Irish football and our country is bigger than anything.

"Roy and I wouldn't have had much contact in the past. Because he was a player and I was a young Honorary Treasurer there wouldn't have been much dialogue. We met last week and there were no problems whatsoever.

"We discussed the past for about thirty seconds and it was all about the future, all about two great icons of Irish soccer - Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane - working together for Irish soccer.

"We met twice last week and it was all about the future. You don't live in the past, you learn from the past. 

"Anything that happened previously is now irrelevant. We want to go to the Euros in France and get the best out of our players."

When Delaney met O'Neill at a London hotel, the 61-year old put forward Keane as his assistant and found no arguments from the FAI Chief.

It was suggested that the Saipan matter will become an issue, but Delaney rubbished the notion.

"Ah God, it shouldn't be, Pat," he told show host Pat Kenny.

"Saipan was thirteen (sic) years ago. There should be a line drawn in the sand in terms of what happened with Saipan. 

"We were all younger people back then and it was a very difficult debate. Do we want to talk about it for another thirteen years? 

"This is about the Irish football team being successful, getting to France and people supporting their country."

The duo will appear together as pundits on ITV's coverage of the Champions League game between Real Sociedad and Manchester United. With the pair in San Sebastien since yesterday, the final pieces of paper work has yet to be signed, but there are no hiccups in the process now.

O'Neill has been the Association's number 1 target since the parting of ways with Giovanni Trapattoni in September.

The remainder of his backroom team will be finalised at the weekend when he meets with the FAI again. 

Steve Walford and Steve Guppy are set to go on board as coaches, Seamus McDonagh will be the goalkeeping coach and Mike McGurn is to act as strength and conditioning coach.

Next week, ahead of the friendly double header with Latvia and Poland, O'Neill is to take the coaching.

It will be an expensive management team, costing just over €2m per annum, but the FAI crucially has the support of businessman Denis O'Brien who will again part-fund the deal.

Delaney, speaking first on Newstalk, the station owned by O'Brien, said: "Without Denis O'Brien's support, this couldn't have been done. We could get people to accept roles, but to finance it couldn't be done without Denis."

The Association had also enlisted the services of Dermot Desmond, Celtic's majority shareholder, during the last few weeks with Delaney describing his involvement as 'crucial to ensuring that we have the manager we want.'

This news is also a significant boost to the finances of the FAI. Now, a previously unglamorous friendly with Latvia could have rocketed ticket sales.

Delaney said: "The first important thing is that it brings success and we qualify for major tournaments. If success brings full houses then better still."