From this morning's Indo JANUARY 28 Sixteen days ago when Brian Kerr held his opening press conference as the new Republic team manager he revealed a plan to get Roy Keane back playing for Ireland again. He asked the media to give him space on this delicate subject, pledging that even if they asked a Roy Keane question 20 different ways, he still wouldn't be drawn to answer in any circumstance. The following day, the first part of the plan was put into action when Kerr's adviser Fintan Drury rang Keane's solicitor Michael Kennedy at his office in London to set up a meeting between the two special Ks. Further calls followed over the next few days between Kennedy and Drury as they sorted out a time and place for the meeting in a Manchester Hotel. At the press conference to announce his squad for the Scotland game, Kerr was once again asked about the Keane situation. He said he had a plan in place, without elaborating. Fast forward to last Wednesday when Kerr held a day-long series of meetings with his backroom staff in the Holiday Inn at Dublin Airport. He sat down with Noel O'Reilly, Chris Hughton and Packie Bonner and revealed to them that he had fixed up a meeting with Keane for the following day. FEBRUARY 6 On Thursday morning he boarded a mid-morning Aer Lingus flight to Manchester and when he exited the arrivals door he was surprised to meet RTE's Tony O'Donoghue. However, Eamonn McLoughlin from Drury Sports Management, was waiting to meet him and drove him away. Later that afternoon, around four o'clock, Kerr and Keane met in a room at a Manchester hotel and had a discussion lasting three hours. Kerr began the meeting by explaining to Keane his style of management and assured him things would be done properly from now on. Keane appeared impressed by Kerr's presentation and gave a firm undertaking that he would return to play for Ireland. He even suggested that he might link up with the squad in Scotland. Before he left the meeting, Kerr gave Keane his new mobile telephone number. Kerr then flew back to Ireland on a late flight and refused to comment as he exited Dublin Airport. @@STYL cf,frb FEBRUARY 7 On the Friday morning, Keane trained at Manchester United's Carrington training ground before speaking to Alex Ferguson in the afternoon when he told him of his decision to return to international football. Ferguson, who suggested his captain should retire the previous Sunday in a newspaper interview was unhappy, and asked Keane to talk to the medical experts who had operated on his hip last September. Keane did, and was surprised at the result. The medics made it clear that he would lengthen his playing career by quitting international football. That afternoon, Ferguson phoned Kerr and had a lengthy conversation with him during which they debated the issue the tide was turning red instead of green.Ferguson explained the medical difficulties and stressed that it was not Manchester United's intention to prevent Keane playing for Ireland. Kerr was understood to be surprised at the weight of medical evidence recommending Keane's retirement from international football.. Later that evening Keane phoned Kerr and said he would have to rethink his position. Kerr told him he had a big decision to make, and asked him to spend the weekend deliberating on it. He emphasised to Keane that he only wanted players completely committed to playing for him, without any doubts about their health or physical well-being. FEBRUARY 8 Kerr flew to Scotland on Saturday evening with his backroom team to begin preparations for his opening international and the following afternoon held his first training session in Ayr. Later that evening he held a press conference in the Park Hotel, Kilmarnock but again refused to talk about Keane except to say the situation was a delicate one. FEBRUARY 10 At Monday's press conference the Keane question was only raised at the very end and wasn't pursued when Kerr remained tight-lipped. That evening he took a call from Keane who told him he had made a decision not to return to play for the Republic of Ireland after discussing it with his family. Kerr accepted his decision and wished him the best of luck in his club career. The Ireland manager suggested to Keane that their advisers should prepare a statement and this was acceptable to Keane. When Drury and Kennedy spoke yesterday morning it was agreed the statement should not be released until after the match against Scotland. FEBRUARY 11 Kerr talked to Ferguson and he agreed the statement should be issued on Thursday. However, late yesterday afternoon Kennedy phoned Drury and told him that they were going to have to release the statement immediately because the story was about to get out. Drury attempted to tip off Kerr but he had already begun his 5pm training session with the squad at Hampden Park and had switched his phone off. Drury then phoned Trevor O'Rourke, one of the FAI' PR consultants, to warn him. O'Rourke finally made contact with Kerr through FAI Medical Officer Martin Walsh. At 5.52pm Kennedy released a statement on behalf of Keane.