Roy Keane really doesn’t like modern football.
His punditry isn’t exactly laced with tactical insight but is always an event due his utter contempt for modern footballers – we’re looking at you Eden Hazard.
Keane directed some of that disdain at the under performing Republic of Ireland players earlier this week, following their 1-2 defeat to Belarus, but thankfully had some left in the tank for two other scourges of football; in the old school, proper football man’s view anyway – foreign managers and a new breed of coaches with their clipboards, laptops and tans.
The Ireland assistant manager was speaking about his experience at Sunderland, a club Martin O’Neill also managed, and referred to clubs preferring coaches to be in charge of the first-team at the expense of conventional football managers.
“It seems to be coming into the game, more so in England with the amount of foreign owners,” Keane told the Guardian.
“Particularly the Americans. They seem to love a coach who’s got the whistle around his neck, a clipboard and a tan, and really white teeth. That gives you a chance.”
Keane didn’t refer to any manager in particular with his reference to “a tan, and really white teeth,” so unfortunately, we’ll most likely never be able to solve this mystery.
Keane went on to say that the dwindling number of conventional managers is “sad” for the game.
“Martin is old school, he likes to manage the club, whereas a lot of clubs are employing, it’s even on their contracts now, coaches. I think it’s sad because a lot of clubs don’t need coaches, they need good managers.”
Ireland are in Group E at Euro 2016 – alongside Sweden, Belgium and Italy – a tough draw, but Keane says the Irish squad feel they are fully capable of advancing to the knock-out stages.
“We certainly believe we can get out of the group and then you take it from there. Even as a player you never really think beyond that. You can’t because of the pitfalls, but I definitely think we can get out of the group.”
