EXPERIENCED AMERICAN COACH Dave Sarachan has been appointed as Robbie Keane’s assistant manager at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Keane has also brought in former Irish U21 goalkeeper Graham Stack as his goalkeeper coach, completing a staff that features another of Keane’s ex team-mates, Rory Delap.
Keane has taken the plunge into the first managerial job of his career with Macabbi Tel Aviv, and has now filled out his coaching staff at the start of a pre-season camp in Madrid.
Sixty-nine-year old Sarachan will work as Keane’s assistant, having served as assistant manager with LA Galaxy during Keane’s five-year spell with the club as a player. Sarachan has been coaching since 1976, primarily as an assistant manager. He was assistant to Bruce Arena with the US national team at the 2002 World Cup, and worked with Arena again when he returned to take charge of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. The US failed to qualify and Arena left, at which point Sarachan took interim charge until Gregg Berhalter was appointed. Sarachan was most recently the manager of Puerto Rico, whom he left last year.
Graham Stack has come onboard as Keane’s goalkeeper coach, having served in the role with Colchester United since March. Prior to 2022, Stack spent four years at Watford as goalkeeper coach and academy goalkeeper coordinator.
Meanwhile, Keane has been stressing the need for hard work as his side get their pre-season preparations underway in earnest in Spain.
“I promise you, I will have your back always if you work hard for me”, Keane told his players at training, his words conveyed in a video on the club’s official website. “I will give you everything, all the trust, as long as you are working hard.”
Keane’s first game in charge was successful, with a 1-0 friendly win over fellow top-flight club Ashdod SC secured prior to the flight to Spain. Maccabi will play games against Orlando Pirates and Bournemouth as part of their preparations in Spain.
Keane has also completed his first signing as manager, with Angola international Milson signing from Russian club FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod on a three-year deal.
