‘Amazing’ Robbie Keane emulates Daniel Farke with Leeds United hero on verge of another title

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When Leeds United hired Daniel Farke during the summer of 2023, a club reeling from their relegation out of the Premier League secured themselves about as sure a thing as it is possible to find at Championship level.

Daniel Farke, after all, arrived at Elland Road with two promotions out of England’s second tier on his CV already.

Flash forward to April 2025, and the former Norwich City boss has now added a third to his tally.

Farke now sits alongside the legendary Neil Warnock – himself a one-time Leeds United manager – and Burnley coach Scott Parker as the managers with the most-ever promotions out of the Championship.

Farke’s record is made all the more impressive when you consider that, should Leeds beat already-relegated Plymouth Argyle on the final day, each of his promotions will have ended in a second-tier title.

Over one thousand miles away in Budapest, Hungary, meanwhile, former Leeds striker and ex-Leeds coach Robbie Keane is quietly building a reputation as of a serial league champion himself

Because, having guided Maccabi Tel Aviv to the Israeli Premier League title in 2024, a stunning turnaround in the Ferencvaros hotseat has Keane closing in on successive league crowns with two different clubs in two different countries.

Robbie Keane could emulate Leeds United manager Daniel Farke in Hungary

Robbie Keane held talks with Turkish outfit Fatih Karagumruk late last year. His return to management would eventually come about with Hungarian giants Ferencvaros instead, however, taking over at the Budapest outfit during the first week of 2025.

Four months later, as Fatih Karagumruk stumble in their attempts to reach Turkey’s top flight, Ferencvaros are haring towards the finish line.

Clearing hurdle after hurdle as the pedigree stallions of Hungarian football look to beat Puskas Akademia by a nose.

To think, Robbie Keane’s first few weeks at Ferencvaros did not go to plan.

One win form his opening five matches meant the Republic of Ireland icon had endured the worst start of any Ferencvaros coach since Thomas Doll over a decade previously.

Since losing 1-0 to title rivals Puskas Akademia in February, though, Keane’s win rate has soared from a dismal 20 per cent to a very respectable 60 per cent. A lack of any ‘new manager bounce’ has been more than made up for with a dramatic turnaround in results in the weeks following.

Eight wins have now come in their last 12 matches. Seven wins in an unbeaten nine-game spell, culminating in Sunday’s 3-2 win at MTK.

Champions in each of the last six seasons, Ferencvaros have now successfully overhauled Puskas Akademia and lead the charge at the top of the table with only four matchdays remaining.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	45	28	13	4	93	29	64	97
2	BurnleyBurnley	45	27	16	2	66	15	51	97
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	45	28	7	10	62	35	27	89
4	SunderlandSunderland	45	21	13	11	58	43	15	76

“Robbie Keane arrived at the Green and Whites in January and, after initial difficulties, he is taking the club to greater heights,” Hungarian publication Metropol write.

They credit Keane with bringing his ‘creative attacking football’ to the Ferencvaros Stadium. There have been 25 goals in their last nine games, Keane flitting between a 3-5-2 system and a 3-4-1-2. Last week’s 7-0 drubbing of Nyiregyhaza is the highlight was his tenure so far.

Keane makes ‘amazing’ impact as Ferencvaros close in on the title

Metropol add that Keane has sparked an ‘amazing’ turnaround in a number of previously underperforming players, particularly red-hot centre-forward Aleksandar Pesics. The Dublin-born 44-year-old has also earned considerable credit for his willingness to build his foundations upon a core of locally-sourced, Hungarian talent.

Leeds supporters au fait with Daniel Farke’s post-match comments or his demeanour on the touchline, meanwhile, will be able to recognise the fierce drive for self-improvement Keane wishes to instil in his Ferencvaros charges.

Farke could be seen stomping around in frustration even as Leeds cruised into a 6-0 lead against Stoke City, while raising an almost reluctant hand to the supporters begging the German to ‘give us a wave’.

Keane, meanwhile, was far from satisfied with a Ferencvaros outfit who stormed into a 3-0 advantage away to MTK but in the end found themselves winning by the odd goal in five.

“We performed well in the first half. We dominated the match and managed to convert our penalty kicks into goals,” Keane said. “However, I am not satisfied with the second half.

“There are still four matches left, and I don’t think [this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash] against Puskas Akademia will decide the first place. Anyway, I always focus on the current match.

“It’s important that we can play on our home field, in front of our fans, who have been fantastically cheering for our team all season.”

As Daniel Farke prepares to unleash his inner ‘Fire Beast’, a victory over second-place Pukas Akademia on Saturday should have any Irish bars located in the Hungarian capital importing Guinness by the boatload.