Roy Keane has admitted he feels the door has closed on a return to management after he turned down the chance to return to Sunderland earlier this season.
Roy Keane is a fondly remembered figure on Wearside for his time in charge of Sunderland, and it seemed as though the former Manchester United and Nottingham Forest man was set for an emotional return to the Stadium of Light earlier this season.
The manager’s role opened up after Lee Johnson’s sacking and Keane was heavily linked with the job, only to turn down the chance to return.
Now, speaking with SPORTBible (quotes via Chronicle Live), the former Sunderland boss has admitted that he feels as though his management days “are over”.
Keane spoke with Liverpool legend and fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher on the matter, stating that he feels as though he is getting his head around the prospect of never returning to management. When asked about any desire to return to management, here’s what he had to say:
“I did up until recently, but I almost feel recently, them days are over for me now, going back into management.
“I really feel like that. I’m 50 now, I’m doing the TV. Obviously, I’m labelled as more of a pundit now.
“But no, no I feel I’m getting my head round it. It’s maybe more of a head job that maybe that is the role for me and over the next few years, I think I can’t see a club really giving me a real good opportunity to get back into it.”
Has that ship sailed?
It certainly seems as though Keane is acceptant of the fact that a managerial return is unlikely. A reunion with Sunderland even would have raised plenty of eyebrows given his punditry presence over recent years, but there’s no doubt that it would have been a popular appointment.
Keane helped the Black Cats back to the Premier League in his time at the Stadium of Light before resigning in 2008.
His most recent – and potentially final – managerial role was with Ipswich Town, though he remained in the game in roles as an assistant manager with the Republic of Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
