Roy Keane returns to ITV but takes care to put Ireland first

Roy Keane is returning to his role as a pundit with ITV although the Republic of Ireland assistant manager will not be under contract this time.

He will therefore be free to turn down any games, including this year's Champions League final, that clash with his work for Martin O'Neill.

The Cork man will be back on screen for the Champions League game between PSG and Chelsea on the 17th of this month but the arrangement is on a strictly game-by-game basis with no guarantees as to what games he will do after that.

The loose arrangement is clearly an attempt by Keane to avoid a repeat of last year’s incident, whereby he was contractually obliged to attend the Champions League final for the broadcaster, mean he missed the last day of preparations for Ireland’s friendly against Turkey in Dublin.

Keane made no secret at the time of the fact that he regretted the arrangement.

This year’s final in Berlin on June 6th, one day before Ireland’s high-profile friendly game against England at the Aviva Stadium. Keane, it seems, intends to be fully focussed on the international game this time around.

He first started working with ITV in 2011 when he appeared on their coverage of the Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona.

Over time he became a regular and it was in the course of this work that he became friendly with O’Neill.

Nine days after the Turkey game, he announced in London that he would not after all be travelling to Brazil, something that had been extensively promoted by ITV as part of its World Cup coverage.

Despite the short notice, the company was said at the time to be open to the idea of a return at some point and, given the 43 year-old’s previous success in the role, they are bound to be pleased to have him back even if it is only for a short time.