Madam, - There has been much speculation in recent days on how such erstwhile enemies as Niall Quinn and Roy Keane were able to bury the hatchet and work together at Sunderland football club.
I think there is a much simpler explanation behind this sudden rapprochement.
As the long summer school holidays comes to an end, many Irish men are, I am reliably informed, relieved to see some semblance of normality restored with their children returning to school.
With five young children himself, and having just come through his first summer at home in about 20 years without pre-season training to bring him back to work in the middle of July, I think Roy Keane would have done a deal with the Devil to get out of the house.
In such circumstances I think Niall Quinn was a rather minor obstacle. - Yours, etc,
TOM O'CONNOR, Batterstown, Co Meath.