ROBBIE KEANE HAS been offered the assistant manager role at Middlesbrough as the club prepare to announce the appointment of Jonathan Woodgate as their new manager.
Keane, who is currently on Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland coaching staff, met with Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson yesterday and will now consider the offer in the coming days.
The 38-year-old this morning said a role with the Championship club will not affect his current coaching position with the national team, something he has stressed to McCarthy and the FAI.
“I’ve been asked, I met them yesterday,” Keane said, speaking at an event at Crumlin Children’s Hospital to mark a year from the start of Euro 2020.
“They want me to come in as assistant manager. It’s up to me to think about it really. It won’t affect me here, which was key for me. I spoke to Mick about it, told him and I said under no circumstances would I take it if I had to leave here [Ireland role].
“He was delighted because he said ‘you’re not f******g leaving here. They were his actual words. So it’s up to me. I love working with Ireland and Mick has been great.
It’s up to me if I want to go. It has been so busy the last couple of days so I haven’t even spoken to my wife about it or anything. I flew over [to Middlesbrough] yesterday and had a good chat with the chairman. I’ll have a couple of days to think about it.
After hanging up his boots in 2018, Keane — Ireland’s record goalscorer — took his first steps on the coaching ladder when coming on board for McCarthy’s second reign in charge of the Boys in Green.
The Dubliner has made no secret of his desire to become a manager but admitted he was surprised to get a call from former team-mate Woodgate over the weekend.
“I saw on the news a few weeks ago that he might get the job, but I never thought for one second he would call me,” Keane continued.
“I know what my [coaching] path is but I’m in no rush. Last summer I met Marcello Lippi while I was on holidays, and he told me, ‘Robbie, don’t rush your management career, you have hopefully 40 years of being a manager ahead of it for you, don’t rush it.’
“So I’ve taken his words to heart and now I’ve a big decision to make, but it won’t affect Ireland, that’s for sure. If the FAI or Mick McCarthy had an issue with me considering this job, I’d just have said ‘thanks but no’ to Middlesbrough.”
Under Tony Pulis, Middlesbrough narrowly missed out on a place in the play-offs last season and Woodgate has been heavily tipped to take over from the Welsh boss following his Riverside departure last month.
Woodgate, 39, had been first-team coach under Pulis and is due to be named as new ‘Boro manager this week, with Keane — who he played alongside at Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur — his primary candidate to come in as number two.
“It can 100% work,” Keane said of combining the roles. “It’s just up to me if I want to do it or not. It’s all positive, to be honest with you. I’ll just think about it. I absolutely love it [coaching]. Mick has been great, the players have been brilliant. I’m enjoying it and it has worked out the way I wanted it to work out.”
- Originally published at 11.54
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It’s always been his dream to play/manage/cut the grass at Middlesbrough
@Paul Carew: always 1 odd begrudger and 168 odd clowns liking the same boring comment
Robbie Keane is a total legend. Flew across the Atlantic, 8 hour flight, a million times from LA to help his country out, and was still often the best player on the pitch.
You could have scored the winning goal in a world Cup final for Ireland, found the cure for HIV 2 weeks later, and then as soon as you retire, then you’ll have half the country calling you a muppet and a clown.
If Robbie Keane wants to divide jobs then I’m happy for him. He’s hardly an irreplaceable part of the management team. We could replace him in 5 seconds with Jonathan Walters or someone like that.
Why do so many dislike Robbie Keane. Always gave his all to Ireland
@Richard O’Brien: it’s a strange one alright
@Richard O’Brien: really? Do many people dislike him? He was and still imo not just a legend for Ireland but one of the all time great strikers in world football, what a career he had…..comes across as someone anyone would want to share a few pints with too
@Boris Becker: that what’s bizarre about it but yes iv heard many criticisms of him but no basis for it
@Richard O’Brien: take no notice…..tell anyone who thinks Robbie Keane anything but a footballing great to feck off back to sleep
@Richard O’Brien: it’s the inate snobbery of the fact the lad is from Tallaght. Never p155ed on anyone in public, been arrested or accused of anything the rugby goys have been but he’s seen as of a lesser class.
It’s beyond sick
The band are getting back together
MIDDLESBROUGH ? Holymudderagod ! I’ve been there. It’s worse than Tallaght, lol
@Nosmo King: it is a kip, and that’s probably a bit of an understatement
@Jamie O Sullivan: Tallaght or Middlesbrough ? !!
@Nosmo King: clown
It’s a shame McCarthy didn’t go in for Lee Carsley as assistant.Keane got the job because he asked for it.
@Nic Antonio: but the FAI wouldn’t just give it to someone who asked, sticklers for doing things properly
Woodgate was a wonderful player, didn’t have any luck with injuries but he could be a great manager. Good to see Keane taking the Ronan O’Gara route – makes sense.
Super Leeds
So it won’t affect your current role Robbie?
@Ger: Why would it?
@Ger: Chris Hughton,Kevin McDonald and Roy Keane (albeit not for long) all combined.
@Turkish: I’m making fun of the fact that he literally said it wouldn’t affect his Irish job about 10 times in a 5 min interview. More power to him if he takes the Middlesbrough job too. It was his boyhood dream….
Mick has to give youth a chance. Other nations are doing it. It keeps the senior players on their toes. There’s six or seven automatic starters for Ireland and that shouldn’t be the case.players need to fight for their spot.
@George McCarthy: And what has that got to do with Robbie Keane maybe becoming Middlesbrough assistant ?
It would be good for both Ireland and Robbie ,has to learn his trade from the other side of the fence!! Best of Luck
Keane was a very good player. He has the capacity for club/team management I think, just, be relaxed/communicative.
Robbie Keane is a complete and utter idiot
@this_is_ireland: What an utter idiotic thing to say
@this_is_ireland:
Please Explain??
@this_is_ireland: because he………?
@this_is_ireland: jealousy??
@this_is_ireland: doubt any other player gave more for his country.