If Keane wants to return he must learn how to manage himself first

HAVING walked out on Sunderland, Roy Keane feels ready to return to football management. Some club, desperate for success and seduced by his status as a man associated with success, is likely to be foolish enough to grant him his wish. Foolish because Keane does not appear to have the maturity to replicate the type of success as a manager that he achieved as an outstanding player.

Immediately, I realise I’m going to be hit with volleys of abuse for daring to offer criticism of Keane. Nobody arouses the passions more than he and this persuades some people to jump blindly to his defence. His achievements as a player — which cannot be denied because he is almost certainly the most successful Irish footballer of all time — are always cited as if that somehow makes his behaviour immune from criticism. His record as a manager — in achieving promotion for Sunderland in his first season in charge — is also produced, but truth is that while it was reasonably impressive, it was hardly unique, especially given the amount of money he had been given to build his squad of players.

My problem with Keane stems from his own comments — and here let me state I still think he was right about the Irish team’s inadequate preparations for the 2002 World Cup and that Mick McCarthy failed in the admittedly very difficult task of keeping Keane involved.