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Keith Andrews has said Roy Keane's 'bulls***ter' jibe aimed at him in 2020 did not effect him

FORMER IRELAND player and current assistant Irish manager Keith Andrews has said that Roy Keane's 'bulls***ter' jibe aimed at him in 2020 did not faze him.

Keane worked with Martin O' Neill in the Ireland set-up for a number of years and had Andrews as part of the panel.

Speaking in a Sunday Independent interview in 2020, Keane gave his views on Andrews replacing him as Ireland's assistant manager under Stephen Kenny.

"If I can make one point about new Irish staff, I’ve heard a lot of bulls***ters over the last 10 years and Keith Andrews is up there with the best of them, Keane said when referring to the 35-cap Ireland international

Andrews has worked in the English and Irish media for a number of years and decided to take up a role with Stephen Kenny's u-21 Ireland side and followed him to the senior side soon after.

Manager Stephen Kenny (right) and assistant Keith Andrews celebrate after the game (Image: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Now the former Blackburn midfielder has walked away from media work to focus on his Ireland duties and had not taken on any official team media duties in the role until yesterday.

Speaking to the media ahead of Ireland's game with Lithuania yesterday Andrews gave his views about Keane's bulls***ter' comment

Andrews said that Keane's comments did not affect him

"In terms of how it affected me it didn't affect me in the slightest.

I've touched on it before about how passionate I am about this role.

"My conscience would be very, very clean in terms of what I put into it because, apart from family life, it is actually the only thing I care about - in terms of making this team better, in terms of making Irish football better, in terms of giving us a team we are proud to watch.

"I have obviously been a fan, I've been a player, it is my only team - it's the only team I care about.

"So, no, it didn't affect me. When you go into a new job players pretty quickly suss you out, if you are not up to the level.

"So in terms of the preparation going into it, it was obviously of a high level."

Ireland are expected to make changes tonight for the game at 19.45.

Sky Sports Arena will show the game