What Roy Keane’s said about return as pleas for Man Utd job heighten | Football | Sport
Manchester United icon Roy Keane is gaining significant backing to step in as interim manager following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal. Caretaker Darren Fletcher is currently at the helm, but United are actively searching for a new boss, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick both understood to be leading contenders for the interim role. Former team-mates Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have publicly supported Keane taking over until the end of the campaign. On The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Butt championed the idea and insisted the Irishman has “changed unbelievably in the last 10 years.”
Gary Pallister conceded that Keane has been absent from management for some time, yet still believes his former colleague could “shake it up” at Old Trafford. He suggested the 54-year old-would “certainly command respect,” often a crucial component in extracting quality performances from players. Bryan Robson has also thrown his weight behind Keane’s potential return to the dugout after his extended absence from management. Speaking in October, the United great suggested his fellow countryman could team up with ex-team-mate John O’Shea to manage the Republic of Ireland.
However, Keane – who hasn’t been in club management since departing Ipswich Town in 2011 – may have already damaged his prospects at Old Trafford. This comes after he challenged Sir Alex Ferguson’s continuing presence at the club, suggesting the Scot keeps “hanging on like a bad smell.”
“You see who’s making the decisions at Manchester United. You still have Ferguson and [former United chief executive] David Gill hanging on like a bad smell,” he recently said on Sky Sports. “Who’s making the decisions? [Co-owner Sir Jim] Ratcliffe, [director of football Jason] Wilcox?”
That said, there’s a possibility Ratcliffe might actually appreciate Keane’s defiant stance regarding Ferguson. After all, the British billionaire and minority shareholder reduced Ferguson’s responsibilities at Old Trafford and terminated his £2.16million-per-year global ambassador position in 2024.
After more than 10 years away from the dugout, Keane has indicated he would welcome a managerial comeback. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast in 2023, he revealed: “I’d like to go back in, yeah… I think it’s just the challenge of getting back in.
“I’ve been out of management for a number of years now, but I’m still agitated every Saturday about not having a team. And I’ve not managed for 10 to 11 years, so it never goes away.”
While he’s evidently keen to step back into management, Keane – who departed United in controversial circumstances in 2005 – has repeatedly ruled out a return to Old Trafford. Moreover, he’s already voiced his preference for Amorim’s successor, backing Newcastle boss Eddie Howe for the role.
“I like what Howe has done, he’s managed a lot of games, his teams play good football,” he said this month. “I know he has his critics, but I like what he’s done at Newcastle, even at Bournemouth. He’s managed 700, 800 games. I like his calmness – I think Man United sometimes need a bit of that.
“I like people with emotion. I’m quite an emotional person, but his calmness, what he’s done at Newcastle. Getting them into the Champions League, winning a [Carabao] Cup. I’d be happy to see him go in there.”
Such remarks suggest the former midfield enforcer isn’t positioning himself for the role. Nevertheless, Keane has no shortage of backing for the position, with numerous supporters eager to see a fresh approach from the next United manager.
