Roy Keane - new assistant manager (CONFIRMED)

[Villafirst]

I wonder if Shay Given will be back in the fold now, especially with Keane's ROI role?

[PaulWinch again]

I'm not sure everyone's 'into Keane coming along', I think most people are fairly jaded and unsurprised by what we do now. It's more a case of a shrug of the shoulders and thinking it doesn't make much difference and not a lot is going to change until we're taken over.

[Monty]

Fair enough, though it's still a little placid for my liking. There's a difference between underwhelming, inexpensive signings like Senderos and Cole and hiring a guy, no better than a hundred other potential coaches, who to this day seems unsettlingly proud of his most depraved acts of violence. Whatever happens on the pitch, Villa have never been a club without class off it. Hiring this man is a blow to that reputation.

[Dr Butler]

I'm not sure everyone's 'into Keane coming along', I think most people are fairly jaded and unsurprised by what we do now. It's more a case of a shrug of the shoulders and thinking it doesn't make much difference and not a lot is going to change until we're taken over.

oh I dunno Paul I am always upbeat about the Villa and I know that will annoy some people, but I am willing to give anyone a chance to try to turn us around(yes even McLeish) and you may never know it may just be the beginning of something   UTV

[ozzjim]

Fair enough, though it's still a little placid for my liking. There's a difference between underwhelming, inexpensive signings like Senderos and Cole and hiring a guy, no better than a hundred other potential coaches, who to this day seems unsettlingly proud of his most depraved acts of violence. Whatever happens on the pitch, Villa have never been a club without class off it. Hiring this man is a blow to that reputation.

Am I the only one that would enjoy Suarez having a nibble at Roy?

[john e]

I think there is a difference in Karsa/Culverhouse and Keene

it involves medals, trophies and playing at the top level,
 I think that might carry more gravitas with players, although it doesn't secure success by any means, and bullying is bullying no matter who's doing it
even so, I think I would listen to Keene more than I would the other two just on the basis of his experience

or maybe I'm just a clutching at straws

[Monty]

Well Pele might be the greatest ever (very arguable, of course), but his pronouncements on football aren't worth the air they're guffed into. Similarly, Maradona made a horrible manager. Arrigo Sacchi (never a player) was right when he said that 'a jockey doesn't need to have been born a horse'.

Anyway, even if he were brilliant as a coach I wouldn't want him. It's like PWS said on the World Cup thread about Suarez - I don't care how good he is, I just don't want that sort of person anywhere near Villa.

[KevinGage]

From day one, he'll have Sky, the Beeb and the like hanging on his every word. 

Similar to O'Neill, but whereas O'Neill might be eloquent, and razor sharp  (and hence, good copy)  with Keane they'll be looking for the inevitable meltdown. 

Too much distraction, too much potential for friction. 

Naturally we'll back him once he's ours, but this looks like a poor decision.

[Monty]

I won't back him once he's ours, because to do that in this case would be a little too much like Liverpool and Suarez. It's not a case of questioning his competence like McLeish but still hoping he does well - I hope Villa win every game we play, but I never want us to touch people as poisonous as Keane.

[john e]

Well Pele might be the greatest ever (very arguable, of course), but his pronouncements on football aren't worth the air they're guffed into. Similarly, Maradona made a horrible manager. Arrigo Sacchi (never a player) was right when he said that 'a jockey doesn't need to have been born a horse'.

Anyway, even if he were brilliant as a coach I wouldn't want him. It's like PWS said on the World Cup thread about Suarez - I don't care how good he is, I just don't want that sort of person anywhere near Villa.

he is kind to dogs though,  so that's good

[Monty]

Yep, and the Krays loved their mum. And ol' Dinsdale Piranha, he nailed my head to the floor but he was awful nice about it.

[john e]

Yep, and the Krays loved their mum. And ol' Dinsdale Piranha, he nailed my head to the floor but he was awful nice about it.

in fairness the krays got a bad press, nice boys really

[Matt C]

Some reports it's happening: http://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/aston-villa-to-appoint-roy-keane-as-paul-lamberts-assistant-by-early-july-30389760.html

[Toronto Villa]

from a coaching standpoint, the thing is we are all judging him on his managerial career which is far more than just on the training ground stuff. Some people simply cannot balance everything. What we don't know is given the reduced responsibilies as an Assistant Manager how he'll be. We don't have enough evidence to hold a firm opinion biases aside. It's not likle he'll be taking all of the press conferences. He'll be asked questions, he'll give candid answers. We know that. He's not the manager and he won't be thrust into that spotlight. If results improve and players appear happy then much of the discussion of who he is and what he respresents will dissipate quickly.

[Monty]

Not from me they won't. It rankles that he's still employed in football at all (not just him - there are others just as bad dotted around the world who should not be allowed back but are). In any case, what skill he has as a manager is, according to people who like him, as a figurehead, occasional delegator and tone-setter for a club, but not as a tactician or technician. He sounds like precisely the sort of manager entirely unsuited to mere coaching.