Former Ipswich keeper Supple looking forward to Keane reunion after Ireland call-up

Supple, pictured playing Gaelic football for St Brigids. Picture: Caroline Quinn (Image: Archant)

The former Blues goalkeeper has been called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for two friendlies against the United States and France, nine years after retiring from the sport and leaving Suffolk to move home to Ireland.

Current Ireland assistant Keane was his manager at Portman Road at the time, with Supple looking forward to seeing a man who treated him well and helped him deal with such a big decision as he decided the game was no longer for him.

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“When I did walk in that day to speak to him, he was brilliant,” Supple said of Keane speaking to the Irish Independent.

Supple has again thanked Keane for the support he gave him while the former Manchester United midfielder was in charge at Ipswich. Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Archant)

“I haven’t seen him since and it will be nice to meet up and thank him properly for the way he looked after me and getting me out as quickly as possible. Roy was great.

“I was only there for a couple of months with Roy. There was a lot of fuss at the time. Within a few days, he’d sorted it out.

“I knew it wasn’t just our club. I had been out on loan [at Oldham and Falkirk]. I probably never fell out of love with the game. It was the people involved in it who disheartened.”

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The goalkeeper is also looking forward to seeing former Ipswich team-mate Jon Walters again when he reports for international duty.

“Jonny Walters stayed with me for three months after joining Ipswich until he got his house sorted,” he said.

“I have a lot of time for Jonny, for the person he is and the player he is so it will be nice to see him again but I don’t think there’s too many others.”

He added: “I’ll be going in there and believing I’m the best keeper. But I’m a little bit more relaxed about it than I would have been when I was in England.”

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Supple recently gave up playing Gaelic football, which he had done since returning home and is enjoying playing for Bohemians in the League of Ireland.

“It’s not fair on Bohs, they’ve been good enough down through the last couple of years to look after me and let me play,” he added.

“I knew myself the time was right to go. I want to concentrate on the football for the next few years and give it a right go and look after my body right and get the most of it. It’s like a GAA club in a sense, there are people here you trust.”