Robbie Keane and FAI backlash is news to Heimir Hallgrímsson who praises ex-captain for 'good speech'

Heimir Hallgrimsson claims he was unaware of the social media backlash against Robbie Keane and the FAI, after the ex-striker dished out caps to the Ireland squad.

And the Boys in Green boss instead praised the former Ireland captain for the motivational speech he gave the players during Monday’s ceremony at the team hotel in Dublin.

Keane - the record scorer and caps holder for Ireland - was heavily criticised here in Ireland for staying on as manager of Israeli club Macabbi Tel Aviv after the Israeli government escalated its conflict with Palestine.

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Keane stepped down in June, after their league title-winning season, and has yet to return to management, but was invited by the FAI to present caps at Monday’s function.

On Tuesday, the FAI posted photos of Keane and the Ireland players on social media, but were immediately hit with a barrage of replies criticising the move.

Asked about it today, Ireland boss Hallgrimsson said: "I wouldn't know. I am not the best to answer that. I didn't know about (the criticism).”

Hallgrimsson said Keane made a speech to his Ireland players ahead of Thursday’s clash with Finland in Dublin, and Sunday’s game away to England at Wembley.

“He had a good speech. The players were asking him questions. I think it is good to connect past players, the legends from the past to the present,” said Hallgrimsson.

"What was really good was how he, as a goal scorer, a really high profile player at his time, was talking about the importance of team unity, fighting for each other, team spirit.

"It was probably not what you would think a striker would say, scoring all his goals, but I think it was a really good message to the players.

"We did the same in Jamaica. Brought in old legends just to connect the past and the present. I think it was a good thing.

"This was a cap presentation, and is something from the federation. It's not me who decides on that one. It was really a positive one, this gathering, both for the players and I think a former player presenting the caps is a good gesture."

Nathan Collins will be the stand-in Ireland captain for the Finland and England games and felt Keane's speech to the players struck a chord with the squad.

The Brentford defender said: "As a kid growing up, these are the players you watch. You watch him every international camp, you watch him score his goals for Ireland.

"You can't talk to him on a personal level back then, you can just see what he is doing on the pitch but now you see them on a personal level, what it means to him and what his team did."

Collins added: "It's nice to know that we are in a similar boat and what we are building here is what they had as well. We can take a lot of things from what he said and use them in our team."

Meanwhile, Dara O’Shea, Festy Ebosele and Andrew Moran are all injury doubts for the Finland game but will be given time to prove their fitness.

Hallgrimsson has already seen Seamus Coleman, Shane Duffy and Adam Idah withdraw over the weekend, with Matt Doherty, Mark McGuinness and Jake O’Brien called up as replacements.

And Hallgrimsson insists there is no beef with Doherty, who had been dropped for last month’s games and, initially so, for this double-header too.

Hallgrimsson said: “We always said we did not want to have both Matt and Séamus at the same time, to think a little bit for the future.

“So missing Séamus and Shane Duffy too, two really experienced players, there was no doubt in my mind that Matt was the replacement there.

“It’s been quite pleasant. He’s a nice guy. I hope everyone, not only him, will show on the pitch that, ‘I deserve to be here’. That’s where players should be doing their talking.”

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