Ireland ‘must trust’ security ahead of Euro 2016, says Keane

Roy Keane has insisted the Republic of Ireland will trust their security team at the Euro 2016 finals following the terrorist attacks in Belgium.

Ireland boss Martin O’Neill and assistant Keane worked with their players at Abbotstown on Tuesday morning as details of the atrocities in Brussels continued to emerge.

However, the former Manchester United and Republic skipper was adamant the day’s events did not raise fresh concerns for their safety at the tournament in neighbouring France.

Keane said: “No, not fresh concerns. We actually had a meeting last night about the trip in the summer and we got a heads-up on all the security.

“But it was just obviously shocking news for us to see it this morning and obviously our thoughts are with everybody who suffered. It’s horrendous.”

Asked if he was satisfied everything was in place for the summer, when Ireland will be based at Versailles, Keane said: “Yes, we think so, but obviously our job is just to focus on the games and let the security team take care of everything else.

“But no, it’s not a concern for the staff or the players. There’s security in place and we have to trust them, and that’s what we do. We are going over there to focus on the football.”

The players woke to the news at their hotel in Castleknock and the thoughts of Birmingham midfielder Stephen Gleeson, sitting alongside Brentford counterpart Alan Judge as they spoke to the media after training, were for the families affected by the attacks.

Gleeson said: “We are actually rooming together and we woke up and obviously had it on our phones, and you just switch on the TV and you just see what’s going on. Straight away, you just think what it would be like to be there and the families that are going to be affected.

“I don’t think a lot of the lads have talked about it. There were a few at breakfast speaking about it, but you just straight away think of the families that are going to be affected by it.”