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Roy Keane has revealed there’s only one job he would likely consider making a return to football for – the Ireland national team.
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, the former Manchester United midfielder admitted that he would “like to get back in[to] management” and even indicated he had turned down offers to do so.
“I’ve had opportunities, but sometimes you get offered a contract and you have to look at it with self-worth, is it the right deal for you?…I’m not desperate to sign any contract for anybody,” Keane stated.
The 52-year-old had been linked with a return to Sunderland two years ago but turned down the offer from his former club. “[It] was not meant to be,” he concluded. The managerial role at Sunderland was one of only two jobs Keane accepted in his coaching career – the other being at Ipswich Town.
Across 100 games for the northeast club, the Irishman won forty-three games, drawing sixteen and losing forty-one times. His record at Ipswich fared less well – twenty-nine wins, twenty-four draws, and twenty-eight defeats in eighty-one games.
A return to club football does not appear to be high on the priority list for Keane. One opportunity which would interest him, however, is the chance to manage his country.
When pressed on whether he would be interested in a return to the set-up at Ireland, the former player-turned-pundit was much more certain: “I enjoyed international football when I was a coach there, I like the dynamics of it where you’re not in every day and it’s not about bringing players in and dealing with the board every week. That does appeal to me, I did enjoy the dynamics when I was coaching with the Irish team – that could be an option.”
Keane had previously been Ireland’s assistant manager to Martin O’Neill for five years between 2013 and 2018. Ireland are currently without a manager after Stephen Kenny’s contract was not renewed before Christmas.
Earlier this month another former Aston Villa manager – Paul Lambert – revealed it to be a “no-brainer” for the Irish FA to appoint Keane to the vacant role. The pair had previously worked together at Villa Park in 2014.
“For him to step back into management with Ireland, if that was the case. He’d be hugely popular with the Irish supporters, he’s got that link with Celtic too,” Lambert stated.
It appears Keane may have a good shot at achieving one of his lifelong dreams for his country.
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