LAST UPDATE | 23 Jun 2020
ROBBIE KEANE HAS opted to leave his role with Middlesbrough after the club today sacked manager Jonathan Woodgate and replaced him with the vastly-experienced Neil Warnock as they battle to avoid relegation from the Sky Bet Championship.
The Teessiders parted company with former England international Woodgate this morning three days after a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Swansea.
There was no confirmation at the time of Keane’s status but it has been announced this afternoon in a club statement that the former Irish striker is to move on.
“Robbie Keane has opted to leave the club following the decision to relieve Jonathan Woodgate of his duties as head coach.
“The Irishman’s contract was due to expire at the end of the current season and with Neil Warnock bringing in his own coaches, Robbie has decided to leave the club with immediate effect.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks to Robbie for all his hard work and wish him well for his future in coaching and management.”
Former Boro defender Woodgate, who was already on the coaching staff at the club’s Rockliffe Park training headquarters, was handed the reins by chairman Steve Gibson in June last year after impressing during the interview process and brought his former team-mate Keane in as his number two.
Woodgate took charge of 41 games, but won only nine of them and, with eight Championship fixtures remaining, his side sit in 21st place in the table, clear of the bottom three only on goal difference.
The widely-travelled Warnock, whose lengthy managerial career has included spells at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, QPR and Leeds, has been out of the game since he left Cardiff in November.
- With additional reporting from Ben Blake
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