For the third time in my life today I picked up Roy Keane's autobiography and read it through once more. If you haven't done this already I suggest you do, no matter if you're a Liverpool or Leeds fan, it's a worthy read.
Filled with honesty and passion that was so much part of Keane's career whether it transformed into good or bad on the pitch.
It was during the read when I got thinking, wouldn't Roy Keane be a perfect candidate to replace Ferguson when the Scot finally decides to leave his post.
I thought, what qualities does Ferguson have that makes him such a success? Sir Alex is passionate, relentless, headstrong, ruthless and a craving to be the best that is everlasting. It's well known that Fergie knows the club from top to bottom, from the money men to the laundry women, the "prawn sandwich brigade" to the hardcore.
Fergie is Manchester United. He has carried on the traditions of Matt Busby. The traditions of slick and stylish attacking football to graduating youth into the famous red shirt.
I wondered, how can we ever see the likes of him again at Manchester United? He would be hard to replace. Hard to find someone that is as immersed in the traditions and passion of the Red Devils. Hard to find someone who can be a father figure to youngsters and executioner to those whose time is up. Hard to find another man filled with such humour, rage, love and commitment.
If you look at the names that have been swirling throughout the media as to who will replace Sir Alex when he retires in the next three years, not many fit the mould in quite the same way.
Mark Hughes? Maybe. Looks bound for Manchester City instead of United.
Martin O Neill? Great manager but in the process of building a great side who look set for great things.
Sven Goran Erikkson? Definitely has talent but is a boring plank who lacks personality and the fire in his belly to be a "great."
That's why when I look at Keane I just know it would work. He can match all the qualities of Ferguson and then some. He can become a "great." He knows United from the inside out, been there through the good and the bad. No one in the world could match his drive and the fire that made Keane the player he was. I don't think anyone could match it as a manager either.
In three years time, when Ferguson decides to step down as he has stated, I believe Keane will take it. I believe he is being groomed to take over at United.
When he took over from Sunderland, it's as if the players were filled with belief, that Keane's hunger for perfection was somehow transferred to them and sure enough, they gained promotion. Welcome to the big league.
Then came the huge war chest that was given to Keane to help the Black Cat's survive the onslaught that is the Premier League. And well, that's where Keane stumbled. The majority of his signings were awful. It was obvious that he had very little knowledge of the transfer market.
However they survived. Just.
Still when you take into account that it was still Keane's first season in the Premier League, it's quite an achievement. I'm sure he won't make the same mistakes again.
I think that in three years time, Keane will be the No.1 candidate to take the helm at United. The fans would welcome him. He was our leader on the pitch for years, why not off it?
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6 months ago
I agree, it would be a great fit. One dick bieng replaced by an even bigger one:)
from 6 months ago
ya ur a liverpool fan so obviously ur threatened. 'pool hasnt beat united (in the league) in rafa's reign & believe me, if roy keane comes, it'll be just as hard.
anyways, great article mate. Its funny cuz a few days ago i was telling a friend just that... that keano would be a great replacement to fergie. he's got the passion, the hunger to win, the character, and (for me at least) most importantly the attitude that he doesnt take crap from any player. I know he's young but i'm sure he'll learn lots & given that United arent a "manager-firing club", we'll give him time. he's a young version of fergie & i'd love to see him back @ United!!!!
6 months ago
c'mon keano, see what happens to sunderland this season first
6 months ago
go on keano, it's bound to be him after sparky committing the ultimate betrayal.
6 months ago
Nice article Keith, I was just writing about this on another blog so I will recap quickly. Sorry if I'm repeating myself to someone
But I agree completely, managers that succeed are cut from similar cloth. There is a ruthlessness about them and a quiet confidence. Fergie, Wenger, Cappello all are similar in their manner. I see O'Neil, Hughes and Keane all to have that. So its no mistake when you picked the same ones for your article. Its the same personality trait that makes me feel that other Man U products like Bruce, Coppell, Robson would not be successful. You want to go have a beer with Bruce and Robson and take financial advice from Coppell. If I want someone to lead me out to battle its Hughes and Keane.
It will be a tough time when Fergie leaves as our options are
a) a manager who has had the "prime time" experience
b) take an promising guy and give him a shot (Keane, Hughes, O'neil)
c) take someone from the support team (Queiroz)
Each one has its own issues, Man U fans probably want a UK guy which really makes it unlikely that you can hire someone with "prime time" experience. Real, AC, Barcelona, Inter all have foreign managers, Heck most the successful EPL managers outside of Ferguson are non UK. (I mean Grants from Isreal............................ sorry had to throw that out there for fun, completely unprovoked attack, it just happens sometimes).
You have Keane and Hughes both would be fan favorites and seem to have the mettle but there would be a learning curve and it would be naive to think otherwise.
Queiroz, seems like an easy choice but I do not have much faith in the support staff, it rarely works in any club, never mind one of the bigger clubs. All the successful managers I looked at there was a pattern of being a assistant, then taking over a small club, doing well, taking over a medium club doing well, taking over a big club. None of them were ever assistants after there first job. Fergie was never even an assistant except as a player. Wenger was similar. Walking in the footsteps of Brian Kidd is never a good thing if your talking about becoming the man.
Great article mate
PS - Gutted Hughes is at City
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