ROBBIE KEANE WANTS someone who has “balls” and “doesn’t take any shit” to take over as the next Irish manager.
Keane agreed that Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane all fit that no-nonsense job description, giving his seal of approval to three of the candidates at the top of most shortlists.
Ahead of the final qualifier in a failed World Cup campaign, Ireland’s record goalscorer pulled no punches and set out his vision for the right type of manager to succeed Giovanni Trapattoni.
The Italian’s reign was littered with disputes between individual players and the management and Keane, who will win his 130th cap if he faces Kazakhstan tomorrow night, has lashed out in the past about squad no-shows.
“I want someone who is certainly an honest manager, who doesn’t mess around, who understands how important it is to be the boss at international level,” Keane said.
“Someone who is very, very proud to be a manager and would be proud to be a part of what we’re trying to achieve in Ireland.
Someone who is honest and someone who has balls, you know? Someone who doesn’t take any shit from anybody. That’s what we need.
Asked what he would like to see the new manager take a hardline stance on, Keane insisted: “Everything.
“Everything that comes with being an international manager. Knowing that if someone doesn’t get picked, are you going to be upset by a manager who is very strong in his views?”
O’Neill, McCarthy and Keane remain live contenders to succeed Trapattoni, whose five-year term came to an end last month following defeats to Sweden and Austria.
“The names that I’ve heard being mentioned, if any of them took over I think everyone would be fairly happy,” Keane said.
“It could be any of those to be honest with you. I don’t know the answer to that.
I think it’s important that whoever takes over, it’s a fresh start for everybody. We get behind them, the whole country gets behind them, and we wish them well whoever that may be.
Keane will be 34 by the time Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualification campaign starts next autumn but he confirmed that he will be available for selection under the next manager as long as he is fit.
Eventually, he admitted, he might be the manager himself.
“Not at the moment. Hopefully I still have a long way to go playing, but certainly in the future if I take my coaching badges which I will be doing.
“That wouldn’t be for a long, long time… if I got the opportunity. I probably won’t even get the opportunity.”
