5 Reasons Why The O'Neill/Keane Dream Ticket Has Its Risks For Ireland
2. Keane Is Still Unproven As A Coach
Another huge question mark rests over Keanes management career to date. At Sunderland he was the choice of then owner Niall Quinn, showing that he at least forgave him for his international actions. Keane was a storming initial success in the Championship, reviving a struggling side and turning them into promotion winners.
However, the Premier League proved a step too far at that early stage in his career, and a rather bedraggled looking Keane stepped down in the November of that debut top-flight season in 2008. On news of his resignation, it was even reported that some Sunderland players celebrated, as they were not a fan of his no-nonsense methods.
Ipswich soon gave him a managerial lifeline, but Keane never threatened a repeat of his early Sunderland success in his 20 months in charge. A sacking followed, with Ipswich lying in 21st position in the Championship at the time of his departure.
One positive way to look at this is the fact that Keane will not have overall control over the Republic of Ireland squad, and many would say that ONeill is the perfect man for Keane to learn from the fellow former Sunderland manager being of similarly eccentric but much mellower temperament.