Keane linked with return to Forest roots

Roy Keane has been linked with an emotional return to the club he started his career in England with after Nottingham Forest yesterday sacked Steve Cotterill.

The Al-Hasawi family from Kuwait assumed control of the Championship club on Tuesday and wasted little time in implementing their plans for the Reds, parting company with Cotterill within 48 hours.

Keane enjoyed a three-year spell at Forest as a player between 1990 and 1993 and quickly emerged as one of the bookies’ favourites to replace Cotterill along with ex-Ireland boss and Keane’s former adversary Mick McCarthy and Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson.

The Al-Hasawi family have stated their intent to restore Forest to its former glories, targeting a return to the Premier League and Keane’s high profile would make him an attractive option.

Another thing in his favour is the fact that, like McCarthy, the Cork man has proven Championship experience having guided Sunderland to promotion to the Premier League in 2007.

Since then, Keane has had an unsuccessful 20-month spell at Ipswich but spoke in May of his desire to get back into management.

“I honestly think if I don’t get back into management this summer I’ll probably step back from everything and step back from public stuff and look to find something else in my life,’’ Keane said.

“Unless I get back into football management I will probably look to do something else.’’

Whether his return to management will come at the club where it started for him in England remains to be seen but Keane’s hopes received a boost yesterday when one of the initial favourites, Harry Redknapp, ruled himself out of the running for the post.