Roy Keane’s well-groomed ‘Late Late’ appearance wasn’t live and neither was it as dangerous as most of us were hoping.

The Guide Dogs-promoting Corkman was charm personified during his pre-recorded chat with Pat Kenny (complete with cringe-inducing “KEANO!” chants from the hired help). He even confessed, “I know I’m hard work. I’m no angel.”

Disappointingly Pat neglected to pursue the soured relations between Roy and another RTÉ employee, Eamon Dunphy. Roy was at pains to point out that “Eamon was never a friend of mine. A lot of people claim to be my friend. They’re not.” Go on.

Still, they seemed pretty pally the time he showed up on Dunphy’s short-lived ‘Late Late’ TV3 rival back in 2003. Maybe Pat just didn’t want Eamo crying on his lap again before he exits stage left. Confident and articulate as ever, Keane came over just about as reasonable a guy as you, or even Mick McCarthy, could meet.

So much so that Pat suggested “the lad Ireland” could do with someone to ‘talk Cork’ to him on Giovanni Trapattoni’s behalf. Some would suggest Keane mightn’t be the best-qualified to preach about one’s international duty. It’s the way he might look at ya, though.