Roy Keane is being talked about for a surprise comeback as a manager after he was seen in the stands.
It’s been 15 years since Roy Keane last managed a team, but the former Ipswich Town and Sunderland boss is being tipped to take charge at Celtic if Martin O’Neill decides to step down.
Keane, who was let go by Ipswich in January 2011 after a tough run of games, recently said he’d be open to managing again. In a chat with Micah Richards for Sky Sports, he mentioned there’s always been a spark for management in him and that “the pilot light is still on.”
Earlier this month, talk grew louder after Keane was seen watching the big Old Firm derby at Celtic Park. On the Stick to Football podcast, Keane made it clear he wouldn’t attend a game with the intention of replacing anyone, but fans and experts have still been chatting about the possibility.
Niall Quinn, who gave Keane his first management role at Sunderland, thinks bringing Roy in at Celtic would be a big deal. On the Graeme Souness Tackles podcast, Quinn said, “If Roy wanted to go for it, it’d be massive. He hasn’t managed in a while, but when it’s in you, it’s in you for life. He had a real impact at Sunderland — he’s box office, no doubt about that.”
That said, Quinn wonders if Keane actually wants the job. These days, Keane is a hugely respected TV pundit with ITV and Sky Sports, and Quinn notices he seems happy where he is now. “I don’t see him smiling this much before,” Quinn said. “Jumping back into managing, dealing with referees and players — I’m not sure if the fire is still burning like before.”
O’Neill, who returned as Celtic manager this summer, had a great start but his future has been questioned after losing two matches in a row to Rangers. After Celtic’s recent 1-0 loss, Paul Lambert shared his thoughts. He said he wouldn’t be surprised if O’Neill left but also wouldn’t want the club to sack him. Lambert added, “He’s got plenty of credit from fans — not long ago people wanted a statue for him. If he wants to go, it should be on his own terms.”