Sunderland boss Keane told to keep out of Irish affairs

Keane has often been critical of the FAI and their methods, and in particular recently slated the Association for doing "everything backwards."

Delaney feels that in attracting Giovanni Trapattoni as Republic manager this week, Sunderland boss Keane can have no grounds to now point an accusing finger.

And Delaney has decided to snap back at Keane in a rare bout of public anger.

"The only criticism I'd have of Sunderland would be their manager giving his weekly report about Irish football, cork hurling and all that he does," lashed Delaney.

"We don't comment on the players he's bought or where they are in the league.

"So I think he should get on with managing Sunderland and stop commenting on a regular basis about the FAI.

"He looks very good on deflecting from his own issues. I think what he should do is concentrate on what he has to do.

"If anything we have been supportive of what they (Sunderland) are doing with the Irish connection in that regard. From my point of view he should get on with his job."

Delaney added: "The inaccuracies that come out from him are what bothers me, like last week he said we cut corners.

"But Liam Miller was injured (in the friendly defeat) against Brazil, and he should remember that only two or three countries insure their players, and we're one of them.

"So we do our business properly in that regard. It's the constant looking to the past and not understanding what we're about today.

"That's one simple example of where he gets it wrong."