Roy Keane: another big let down?

The Sunderland manager has resigned after a run of six defeats in the club's past seven games, leaving the Black Cats in the relegation zone.

He publicly questioned his ability to manage the club out of the mire after the defeat to Bolton last weekend and has decided to bid the club good luck in their battle to avoid relegation rather than stay and fight.

Statements from the Irishman and the club's board indicate that there are no hard feelings from either side, but what do you think?

Hasn't Keane proved once again that when the going gets tough, he gets going?

It is understood that the board were keen to extend his contract that was due to run out at the end of the season. He may have needed to smoothen his authoritarian style to get the most out of an expensively-assembled dressing-room, but surely that's not too much to ask when everyone's pulling in the same direction?

So, what is your opinion of him now? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

Comments

[George Spartan]

Just to add a few further points, it is reported that Keane would not acknowledge some of his players in the corridors, and would only correspond to the chairman via the club secretary. This for me lies at the core of what went wrong for Keane.

[George Spartan]

What makes a great leader is the ability to connect with players thus knowing how to bring out the best in them, to be approachable yet maintaining boundaries, to have players who will die for you on the field, and the insatiable desire to get the job done. Remember how Fabregas ran to hug Wenger when he scored in the Champions League last season? Keane modelled himself on Alex Ferguson, and I felt if he looked within he would have found all the traits and characteristics of a great manager that would have been in keeping with his true self.

[fergus]

Perhaps Keano did walk a bit early in this job and was loved by most of the Sunderland supporters who say him take the club from nothing to something. On the other hand teh refernce to the walking out in the word cup is completely justified. Irish Sport is generally mis managed and definetely we like to think we have done fantastically well for such a small country. What a load of ball cokes. Keane epitomises a positive attitude and his never say die will be sorely missed at Sunderland. I too think he will regret walking a bit prematurely but trust he will bounce back when Sir Alex retires to his vineyards.

[Kevin]

His walk out on Ireland before the World Cup will never be forgiven by any true Irishman, he got no surprises in Saipan, he let his teammates down and he let his country down. Life has always been about him, if he can't get his way he rants and raves and then runs, and of course he will try blame everyone else. His ego is too big, he cannot accept criticism and can never apologise (considers it backing down)

[Richard]

Managers don't have the fear anymore, Keane is a multi millionaire. Revie, Shankly, Busby etc didn't have the option of quitting after a dodgy run, they needed to make a living.

[Piers]

It was his first job and he did fantastically well, it was tough enough in the beginning wasn't it? When he turned the team and club around from 4 straight league defeats to become winners of the Championship and then to keep Sunderland up in the most competitive league in Europe.

Bottom line is, he is a young and inexperienced manager who despite his success with Sunderland has made mistakes along the way, such as buying far too many players who aren't good enough and not being able to put together a consistent team selection. Hopefully he won't be too disheartened and will take on other jobs and become the manager we all know and believe he can be.

Mourinho, Ferguson, Wenger, Scolari, Ancelotti, Benitez and all the other well respected managers at top clubs in the world started small and took many years (and some many clubs - Marcello Lippi had 11 clubs in his first 12 season at management or a number similar to that) to hone their skills and abilities, so should the British managers.

[Col]

Martin,

Thats the typical english journalist comment to make about Keane "when the going gets tough" etc. He's never been a popular figure with you and the other football hacks.

When has he walked away before? When he arrived in Saipan to find a pot holed pitch, no training kit and a team on the beer the week before the world cup? When he had enough of a load of primadona baby bentley driving kristal for all of my friends "colleagues" at Utd?

I dont think Keane is a saint and always right, far from it but you're way off with that comment. I assume its an easy and provocative way for you to get people to put comments on this.......

[David]

As a Manchester United supporter who has always admired Roy Keane, I am sadly disappointed as he has chickened out so quickly. I suspect he will regret it in time.

[Ez Reeves]

What a shame that this great man as gone
Those useless players that have no guts to win a game not knowing how to fight like he did shame on those players.If I was playing for him you would have to take me off the pitch with a strecher every time I would have run my heart out without demanding pay untill I won a game. Once again you useless load of players I wish you lot would go.

[Ben Moss]

Those fortunate enough to see Roy Keane bully Juventus in the 1999 Champions League semi final a few years ago, will take to no pleasure in seeing his current demise at Sunderland. The standards he set himself and those around him as a player formed a large part of Keane's initial appeal as a manager. Given these lofty standards one has to question some of his forays into the transfer market. In my opinion he has spent over the odds on a number of average players, who have questionable disciplinary records to boot. Sunderland needed stability and the £70 million offered up by a very supportive board should have bought this. I am Roy Keane’s biggest fan, but I think resigning having had that kind of investment suggests that management at this level came too early; little consolation to a Sunderland team void of real quality and hovering dangerously above the Championship.

[Ben Moss]

Those fortunate enough to see Roy Keane bully Juventus in the 1999 Champions League semi final a few years ago, will take to no pleasure in seeing his current demise at Sunderland. The standards he set himself and those around him as a player formed a large part of Keane's initial appeal as a manager. Given these lofty standards one has to question some of his forays into the transfer market. In my opinion he has spent over the odds on a number of average players, who have questionable disciplinary records to boot. Sunderland needed stability and the £70 million offered up by a very supportive board should have bought this. I am Roy Keane’s biggest fan, but I think resigning having had that kind of investment suggests that management at this level came too early; little consolation to a Sunderland team void of real quality and hovering dangerously above the Championship.

[Drew]

ossie, i would hardly belittle mark hughes' achievements at blackburn, he took them from a relegation threatened team to a club that was competing for euro places regularly and attracting players of quality like roque santa cruz and benni mccarthy. steve bruce has managed to attract good quality players to wigan, has reinvigorated emile heskey (who i thought was a lost cause, now hes back in the england team!) and paul ince was doing very well at mk dons and has not yet been given the time for people to make informed judgments on his ability to manage in the top flight. i hope roy keane hasn't become disillusioned by management, hopefully when sir alex retires he will become martin o'neill's number 2 with ole solskjaer and eric cantona as coaches (the last one im dreaming a tad perhaps! lol)

[Danny O'B]

"Hasn't Keane proved once again that when the going gets tough, he gets going?"

Bloody hell, it's a bit harsh isn't it? When did he 'get going' in the past? His reputation is exactly the opposite of this, as a legendary United midfielder. He may have left the Irish National team in a cloud of controversy, but they ALWAYS had it tough anyways. And this was down to a dispute with the manager.
He retired prematurely from Celtic due to ongoing medical problems, and it was the right time for him to leave United when he did too.
He did a good job for Sunderland and walked at the right time, before things were irrevocably damaged and all his hard work was undone. He took them from the Championship to the Premier League, and admitted he could take them no further.

I don't care either way though, I'm an Arsenal fan, so good riddance!

[Stuart Goodwin]

What on earth are you talking about Ossie? Keane is Irish and Hughes is Welsh.

[Conor]

Still think Keane will make a good manager if he learns from his mistakes, and calms down a bit. He did a huge amount for Sunderland, they might be in the First Division if he hadn't arrived. The squad he put in place won't be relegated, they'll be stable in the Premier League. The question is will Keane give management another shot. He's always a fascinating story, so I personally hope he does - just not at my club!

[OSSIE]

all these ex man utd plyers all english but cannot cut it as managers thats why the top 5 in the league are all foreign and why england has an italian in charge, take harry redknapp out and the rest are rubbish, mark hughes, ince, bruce bryan robson, roy keane