After spells in Bengal and Israel, the managerial career of former Leeds United hero Robbie Keane could see the Ireland legend add another stamp onto his footballing passport.
Hanging up his boots in 2018, the Republic of Ireland’s all-time record goalscorer is now looking to replicate the success he enjoyed in opposition penalty areas in his new home in the dugout.
And, in an era in which a host of Premier League icons are making their mark in more familiar surroundings – Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick are all in the midst of very different fortunes in England’s Championship – Robbie Keane is taking a different, and far less travelled, path towards coaching prominence.
Keane enjoyed a brief spell as a player-manager at the Indian outfit ATK, replacing Teddy Sheringham on the sidelines and helping save the Kolkata-based outfit from a bottom of the table finish.
Then, the former Tottenham, Liverpool and Inter Milan striker led Maccabi Tel-Aviv to a league and cup double over in Israel during the 2023/24 campaign following Keane’s unsuccessful attempt at rescuing Leeds from Premier League relegation as an assistant to Sam Allardyce.
Leeds United hero Robbie Keane in talks for new job after Israel exit
So while Keane’s managerial reputation may be yet to take off in the nation where he made his name as one of the finest centre-forwards around, the manner in which Maccabi Tel-Aviv cruised to the Israeli Premier League title – their first in four years no less – has understandably earned the Dublin-born 44-year-old plenty of admirers elsewhere.
Take Turkey, for instance.
Fatih Karagumruk were relegated from Turkey Super Lig after finishing 18th in 2023/24. But, as chairman Suleyman Hurma now admits, the Kara Kurmizi have identified none other than Robbie Keane as the man to guide them back to the big time.
“Robbie Keane is a name that has been on our list for a long time,” Hurma explains, in quotes reported by Sporx. “We are in talks with Keane.
“However, it is not easy to convince names like Keane and bring them to our country. If the conditions are right, we will invite them to Istanbul.”
Italian Davide Sassarini has taken Fatih Karagumruk – who employed the AC Milan, Juventus and Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo as recently as 2023 – to third place in the second-tier table.
They are currently just three points behind league leaders Kocaelispor.
Should Keane now take the reigns, he will join at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium the likes of former Sunderland defender Papy Djilobodji, Cameroon international Didier Lamkel Ze, and Aston Villa’s one-time £22 million record signing Wesley Moraes.
Keane inspired by former Republic of Ireland bosses
Keane’s all-conquering Maccabi Tel-Aviv outfit were renowned for their ability to dominate possession and their commitment to attacking, easy on the eye football. They finished eight points clear of Maccabi Haifa while delivering the most goals in the division – 75 – and also the best defensive record.
“I’m a people person and I played the game for 25 years, so I know what players want,” Keane told The Guardian back in 2021. “I know training sessions that keep players engaged and demand a lot from them. As a player, I demanded a lot from myself, and that’s what I want from players I’m coaching.
“I’ve taken bits from everyone I played under. With Ireland, as well as Mick [McCarthy], I learned plenty from Giovanni Trapattoni’s very, very simple and defensively sound set-up that was so effective for us.
“There was a time when we went four years unbeaten away from home! I learned from Martin O’Neill too. But I have to be myself as a coach. I have plenty of experience as a leader. I want to keep on learning to become the best coach I can be.
“And then see where that takes me.”
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