Martin O’Neill has backed Roy Keane for the Celtic job – and told him he won’t stand in his way if an offer comes from the Scottish champions.
The Ireland boss believes his assistant would be perfect to succeed Neil Lennon at Parkhead after Keane was linked heavily with the position.
Former Bolton boss Owen Coyle, Chris Hughton, David Moyes, Henrik Larsson and Malky Mackay have also been named as contenders.
But with Larsson adamant he is staying in club management in Sweden, Keane has again surfaced as a potential manager at the club where he ended his playing career.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Dublin friendly with Turkey, O’Neill backed Keane’s credentials and said he wouldn’t stand in his way if the offer came.
O’Neill told Irish state broadcaster RTE: “I would say that he would make a good manager, I have always said this about Roy Keane. I think the experiences he has had at Sunderland and Ipswich will stand him in good stead.
“He is naturally disappointed by the Ipswich affair, and it’s not something he wants to leave.
“He has this opportunity to come with me as my assistant here at this moment, but I have often said to you that he will be a manager, he will be a manager.
“I think this particular element - it’s just my view - is good for him. It gives him a chance to look at it, maybe work with somebody with a bit of experience like myself.
“But he will become a manager, there’s no question about it. Naturally having brought him in, I’d be disappointed if it went through that he’s gone, but I wouldn’t really be standing in his way in that sense.
“I’d speak to him, I’d speak to John Delaney as well - I think Roy mentioned that the other day - if that’s the case, but it is honestly pure speculation at this minute.
“But it doesn’t bother me too much at all - or at least I am trying to show that.
“It genuinely isn’t a problem to me. Obviously it may well be when he is actually specifically asked for a managerial job. I will deal with that when it comes, if it comes.”
A former Celtic boss himself and close friends with the club owner Dermot Desmond, O’Neill is resigned to the fact that Keane will be linked with every major managerial vacancy in British football.
He added: “When I took him on in the first place, I can’t say I had really thought that particular element of it through.
“It wasn’t top of list at the time because he wasn’t being mentioned for jobs, but such is the profile of the man that really I probably should have expected it.
“He was linked also as assistant to Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United, he is being linked everywhere.
“It genuinely isn’t a problem to me. Obviously it may well be when he is actually specifically asked for a managerial job. I will deal with that when it comes, if it comes.”
http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/international/2014/0524/619401-oneill-would-not-stand-in-keanes-way/
Martin O’Neill has backed Roy Keane for the Celtic job – and told him he won’t stand in his way if an offer comes from the Scottish champions.
The Ireland boss believes his assistant would be perfect to succeed Neil Lennon at Parkhead after Keane was linked heavily with the position.
Former Bolton boss Owen Coyle, Chris Hughton, David Moyes, Henrik Larsson and Malky Mackay have also been named as contenders.
But with Larsson adamant he is staying in club management in Sweden, Keane has again surfaced as a potential manager at the club where he ended his playing career.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Dublin friendly with Turkey, O’Neill backed Keane’s credentials and said he wouldn’t stand in his way if the offer came.
O’Neill told Irish state broadcaster RTE: “I would say that he would make a good manager, I have always said this about Roy Keane. I think the experiences he has had at Sunderland and Ipswich will stand him in good stead.
“He is naturally disappointed by the Ipswich affair, and it’s not something he wants to leave.
“He has this opportunity to come with me as my assistant here at this moment, but I have often said to you that he will be a manager, he will be a manager.
“I think this particular element - it’s just my view - is good for him. It gives him a chance to look at it, maybe work with somebody with a bit of experience like myself.
“But he will become a manager, there’s no question about it. Naturally having brought him in, I’d be disappointed if it went through that he’s gone, but I wouldn’t really be standing in his way in that sense.
“I’d speak to him, I’d speak to John Delaney as well - I think Roy mentioned that the other day - if that’s the case, but it is honestly pure speculation at this minute.
“But it doesn’t bother me too much at all - or at least I am trying to show that.
“It genuinely isn’t a problem to me. Obviously it may well be when he is actually specifically asked for a managerial job. I will deal with that when it comes, if it comes.”
A former Celtic boss himself and close friends with the club owner Dermot Desmond, O’Neill is resigned to the fact that Keane will be linked with every major managerial vacancy in British football.
He added: “When I took him on in the first place, I can’t say I had really thought that particular element of it through.
“It wasn’t top of list at the time because he wasn’t being mentioned for jobs, but such is the profile of the man that really I probably should have expected it.
“He was linked also as assistant to Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United, he is being linked everywhere.
“It genuinely isn’t a problem to me. Obviously it may well be when he is actually specifically asked for a managerial job. I will deal with that when it comes, if it comes.”
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