Since Niall Quinn's surprise announcement that Roy Keane was to be Mick McCarthy's successor at Sunderland back in 2006, the Cork native has gone from strength to strength as a manager.
Many were surprised to see Keane accept a job so early in his coaching and management career. And few would have predicted him to take over a struggling Championship side, never mind one where Niall Quinn was chairman.
Few outside Ireland would know of the acrimonious split in the Irish camp during the World Cup in 2002. This argument between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy would end up with Keane being expelled from the squad and sent home. This caused shock-waves in Ireland and still brings heated debate today. In the end Ireland were knocked out by Spain, but the real losers in this war were the Irish public who never got to see their strongest team perform.
Roll on five years and Quinn, who was firmly on McCarthy's side in the dispute, installed Keane as manager of his club. By this stage Keane had also fallen out with Alex Ferguson, and was drummed out of Manchester United after he criticised the team while doing commentary on MUTV.
The most volatile and probably the best player in Premier League history was taking up management, and everybody wanted to see how he'd cope. Some waited for the explosion on the horizon they expected, but three years into the job Keane has shown a maturity beyond his years. He has also shown he knows how to get the best from his players and that he can attract good players to Wearside.
Since taking over in 2006, when Sunderland were struggling at the foot of the Championship, Sunderland's rise under Keane has been impressive. Combining good coaching, good management and a lot of money, he has propelled them to what I would assume to be mid table safety this season.
When Keane initially took over his assessment of the squad was swift and decisive. He signed 20 players (£11.2M) in his first season and by May had offloaded 32 (£6.2M).
Sunderland in that fist season were catapulted from relegation candidates when he took over to eventual champions of the division.
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The Drumaville Consortium with Quinn as it's focal point had not only gotten their man, but had financially backed him too. Sunderland spent double the transfer spending of nearest rivals and fellow promoted team Derby County. According to Quinn this wasn't a gamble at all but a well calculated risk, as the Drumaville group knew that by just getting into the Premier League (which was on the verge of negotiating a new television deal with Sky) they'd be guaranteed £50M in television revenue before a ball was even kicked.
Now in the Premier League, Keane once again assessed his charges and rightfully came to the conclusion that to avoid relegation money would have to be spent again. Quinn and Drumaville again backed their man, with a kitty of just over £40M.
Again, Keane completely renovated his squad and did away with the "deadwood"—14 players were added to the squad most notably Kieran Richardson, Andy Reid, and Kenwyne Jones. Jones in particular went on to be hailed in most quarters as one of the signings of the season. 22 players were trimmed from the squad, including a lot of players who had only signed one year earlier.
Keane seems to have the belief that if you're good enough you can stay, but if you're not you'd better move on or he'll move you on.
This approach seems to have garnered a lot of respect for Keane in playing circles as with him you know exactly where you stand. Gone is the ranting player chasing referees, and what we've been left with is a manager who knows how to treat players who want to work hard right.
He isn't the strict disciplinarian that some expected him to be, although he has had his moments. These include leaving Anthony Stokes at home for turning up late for the bus on a Saturday morning before a match, placing Liam Miller on the transfer list after he was repeatedly late for training, and drumming Liam Lawrence out of the club after an incident in a hotel.
This season, Keane has been canny in his transfer dealings again. Happy with survival last year, Sunderland and Keane have signed players to secure them mid table safety this year. Seven players have been added to the squad. El Hadji Diouf (Bolton), Djibril Cisse (Marseille), Teemu Tainio and Steed Malbranque from Tottenham being the stand out players. And only five players have moved on, as Keane starts to have what he believes is a squad capable of mid table safety.
If Keane continues in this vein, Sunderland will by vying for Europe in two or three seasons.
Keane has served under two of the best managers to grace the English game. His initial introduction was at Nottingham Forest under Brian Clough, and then under Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Under these two, Keane learned how to get the best from players.
With Clough being a huge influence in the way he fostered trust and admiration from his players, under Ferguson Keane learnt the hardest lesson of all for a footballer in that loyalty is a two way street. And if your face doesn't fit, the manager will get rid of you no matter who you are, what your reputation is, or how important you are for the team.
Stam, Beckham, Ince, Hughes, Keane all were moved on when Ferguson deemed them surplus to requirements—with Stam's transfer in particular having a massive effect on how Keane viewed player / manager relationships.
Keane seems to have gone out of his way to sign good players who have had a bad run of it. Diouf, Cisse, Yorke, Cole, Chimbonda were all considered bad boys and trouble makers, but Keane has sought these players out to transform Sunderland's fortunes.
Perhaps in showing these players he trusts them, he hopes to replicate Clough's philosophy on football management. Show the players you trust them and the favour will be returned.
So in three seasons Keane, with Quinn's aid, has completely transformed Sunderland. The next question for Keane to answer is will he stay when the bigger clubs come calling.
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2 months ago
As a life long Sunderland fan, this is the most exciting time i have ever seen!!! I can't see Kean going anywhere, we have a great board, great facilities, great fans, i would bet that most managers are very envious of his position. And that being said, why would Keane want to move? He has everything in place at Sunderland, and everything to prove... I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and hopefully a spot in Europe in the years to come
from 2 months ago
this IS the most exiting time in sunderlands history. and with keane on board at least you won't have the same problem facing newcastle and middlesbrough, in that if you do progress to englands second tier then you will be in a position to attract big names who'd want to play under keane.
2 months ago
Keane is a big surprise to everyone. He turns out to be a capable manager. His character definitely helps. His players never stop fighting and the result is at hand. I think Sunderland,under Keane, would finish mid-table this year. And it would be nice if he could beat his ex-manager's team this year.:)
from 2 months ago
the great thing about keane is that he attaches the same importance to every game. if they win he doesn't celebrate and if they lose it doesn't effect his vision.
it would be nice to see them take points off united though.
i'm sick of them taking points off spurs!!
2 months ago
one pick up point.... you say he has been in charge 3 years/3 seasons
Roy has been at Sunderland less than 2 years.
joining 5 games in to 06/07 season... getting promoted
first in premiership 07/08 season
and now two games in to 08/09
I must admit it feels like Keane has been here longer.
The only reason a 'bigger' team will come in for Keane is if he is sucessfull with Sunderland... and when I mean sucessful I mean winning a cup or two (league is too much for us(YET!!))
and when you say bigger team... they will have to be quite a big team.. Man Utd/Real Madrid type of team... I can not see Keane leaving Sunderland where he is backed so much by the board to join a team like say Spurs or the like.
I get the feeling from interviews, that as long as he is backed and left to manage the team in the way he wants, he will stop at Sunderland for a long time.
Clough stopped at Forest who wernt a big team when he toke over.
Man Utd might be a bad choice... everyone will expect the new manager to better Fergie. That wont be just the next man to take over Fergie but maybe the next couple of Man Utd managers.
from 2 months ago
thats a bit pedantic kevin. I said Keane was 3 years into the job. and he is. this is his 3rd season ergo 3 years into the job.
i think that keane has already been successful at sunderland. when talking success you have to first look at the clubs aims. last season sunderland planned on avoiding relegation, so for them last season was a success. if sunderland keep progressing up the league and i really think they will then that will also be deemed a success.
he won't take over at utd but within the next few years there will be jobs available in the second tier of the premier league. spurs, villa, everton, newcastle and maybe even celtic. one of these so called big teams might attract keane as he'll either have to establish sunderland in this tier or take one of these jobs before he gets the job at old trafford he seems destined for.
thanks for taking the time reading the article.
i enjoyed your feedback, check out some of my other articles and let me know what you think.
i like a bit of constructive criticism!
willie
from 2 months ago
how is it 3 years????
he toke over at the end of Aug 2006 - six games in to the season
it is now the end of Aug 2008 - two games in to the season (3 tonight v forest)
ergo.....thats less than two years... not even close to 3.
your the kind of lad who looks at the league placings after one game in to the season arnt you!!! oohhh look Man Utd arnt doing too well
you list some clubs and say they are 'Big' clubs... Iam sorry but Sunderland are on level or close to all those teams (financially, supporters and facilities)... of all the teams you list I can not see Keane having a free role like he has at Sunderland it would be a sidewards step... backwards if you count Newcastle. only Celtic might stand out... but why would he want to take charge of a team that only has 4 meaningful league games a season?
from 2 months ago
gotta be honest with you kev. this is keanos 3rd year in charge. even though he joined in 2006 it is his 3rd season.
i don't think he'll go though. sunderland and keane are a good fit.
from 2 months ago
Without wanting to sound TOUCHY (not sure how Willie)
But you lads need to learn to count.
I quote the article 'but three years into the job Keane' and 'So in three seasons Keane'
Keane has been at Sunderland less than 24 months...
Yes he is starting his 3rd season... but in fact he has been in charge less than 2 seasons.... by the time you lads work this out we will be over the two-year mark.
By keep saying he has done 3years/3seasons you are diluting his achievements. In a very short time he has turned us around from being relegation to league 1 candidates to hopefully this season mid table premiership.
Iam sorry if you think Iam being pedantic or touchy.
I love articles about Sunderland, and I will always try to comment on them even point out when I think something is wrong or inacurate.
2 months ago
as alluded to above i honestly can't see roy keane leave sunderland for any other club.he has it all his own way,only wenger would have comparable working conditions.not even ferguson can dictate to his board the way keane appears to.also if he doe's become successful at sunderland ,his mentality would push him to try and go that bit further ,not to walk away
from 2 months ago
working conditions cant overcome ambition. and at the end of the day keane will want to win trophies. and with the top 4 domination the best chance of winning a cup at sunderland is the carling cup. kinda fancy them for that this year.
2 months ago
as a sunderland fan, i cant see keane going antwhere except to utd or celtic.
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