Roy Keane has revealed that he will quit his role as assistant manager at Aston Villa if it affects his work with the Republic of Ireland.
Keane was already working as assistant to Ireland boss Martin O'Neill before he took up his role working with Paul Lambert at Villa this summer.
The former Sunderland and Ipswich Town manager has insisted that he will put Ireland first if he feels that he is unable to combine both roles.
"I feel that if I am taking my eye off the ball with Ireland, then I will leave Aston Villa," Keane told Sky Sports News. "There is no doubt about that. I have told Paul Lambert that, told Martin that and told the FAI that.
"I didn't just jump into it with Villa. I sat down with Paul Lambert, had a think, and sat down Martin and the FAI and thought, I can adapt to this.
"It felt like a full-time job, but, having been in the Ireland job a while, I felt I could manage to do both."
Ireland face Germany in a Euro 2016 qualifier this evening.
Steven Toplis
