Gordon Strachan: Roy Keane A Perfect Fit For Rep. of Ireland Job
Roy Keane could be the right man to turn around the footballing fortunes of the Republic of Ireland.
That’s according to former Celtic Manager Gordon Strachan who brought Keane to Celtic Park back in 2005.
With the recent departure of Stephen Kenny from the Republic of Ireland job there has been plenty of speculation surrounding who will become the next Republic of Ireland Manager.
Keane, 52, is among the favourites to be the next Irish manager and has had plenty of support in recent weeks with the likes of Michael Owen, who also spoke exclusively to us here at BoyleSports, tipping Keane for the job.
Find out below why Strachan thinks that the Man United legend is so well suited to manage Ireland plus his recollection of playing under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and how Man United can fix their midfield woes.
Roy Keane Perfect for International Management With The Rep. of Ireland
It’s been a long time since I spoke to Roy, but he has got a lot to give to the game. The problem is, he is gold on the 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.
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.
At international football, you are generally getting people who are of a 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.
*Roy Keane is 8/1 to become the next Republic of Ireland Manager according to the latest football betting odds at BoyleSports.
Sir Alex had people that didn’t like him in the United dressing room – but we did respect him
I spoke to Sir Alex about the dressing room situation at Manchester United recently. I actually spoke to him at Cathy’s funeral and he whacked me around the back of the head and told me to get a haircut! I’m 66 years of age, but it seriously got me thinking about going to a barber.
On Monday mornings, regardless of whether or not we won or lost, some of us would not be speaking to Sir Alex – completely blanking him. But the concept of ‘losing the dressing room’ is incorrect for me, because players are always going to have problems at some point. I got in a huff with Sir Alex because I wanted a transfer. He said no, so I just got on with it.
You never hear it said in football, but there are actually so many times when the dressing room can lose the manager. Of the managers Manchester United have had in the last five years, there are some good ones in there!
*Graham Potter is currently the 5/2 favourite to be the next Man United Manager at BoyleSports where you can place your football bets.
Man United’s Midfield Problem & How It Can Be Solved
The problem with Manchester United is their midfield; good players in their own right, but there is no imagination there really. There is no one that can eliminate people in the middle of the park by carrying the ball through the lines. If you look at how Ange Postecoglou has set his team up at Tottenham, there’s a huge difference in excitement.
The biggest difference between Manchester United and Tottenham, and what makes Ange’s team so good to watch, is the fact that Bissouma and Maddison in the middle of the park can take players on and beat the press of a defending team. They take players on and break the lines – people think you have to do that with a pass, but you can do that with a dribble.
If you look at the best midfield players over the past 20 years; the likes of your Iniestas, Xavis, Luka Modric and then more recently with Bernardo Silva they can all beat the press with the ball at their feet. I don’t think Manchester United have that in their entire squad of midfielders. The players who played are all good in their own right, but you need that difference-maker.
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