Former Celtic manager and player Gordon Strachan believes that taking the Ireland job would be ideal for Roy Keane. Strachan suggests that Keane, who has been linked to the role as Stephen Kenny's long-term successor, could effectively balance his media commitments with the demands of the Ireland schedule.
As of now, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has not announced Kenny's successor, and several names, including former Ireland players Lee Carsley and Chris Hughton, along with Keane, have been linked with the position. However, no standout candidate has appeared in the pipeline.
While former Ireland assistant coach Anthony Barry was briefly linked to the role, Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel dismissed the connection last week.
Keane, currently a regular on TV, last worked with Ireland as an assistant to Martin O'Neill. Balancing both roles could be challenging, but Strachan, who managed Celtic from 2005 to 2009 and had Keane as a player, believes Keane could find the right equilibrium if he were to take on the Ireland job full-time.
🇮🇪 Is Roy Keane the right man for the Republic of Ireland job?#COYBIG
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Gordon Strachan, speaking to BoyleSports who offer the latest Old Firm Odds said, "It's been a long time since I spoke to Roy, but he has a lot to give to the game. The problem is, he is gold on TV. International football would be good for Roy because he can still do the media work at the same time, and then he would get the best of both worlds,"
Keane's no-nonsense persona and ambitious standards as a player have translated into his managerial style. Strachan suggests that the national team setting would suit Keane better than a club job, as he wouldn't have to deal with the day-to-day challenges of modern club management.
"Another key point would be the fact that he wouldn't have to deal with the day-to-day nonsense that comes with modern management at club level these days. That's why the national job at Scotland was great for me because I didn't have to deal with any players that were useless and signed by another manager, but they had massive four-year contracts that meant I couldn't get rid of them," Strachan explained.
"At international football, you are generally getting people who have good headspace and seem to be in a happy place. Roy is an inspirational character, and even though there would undoubtedly be clashes, he is at the stage where I think he would enjoy it as well."
