Robbie Keane has discussed the kind of managers he ‘hates’ in modern football.
Keane, the current manager of Ferencvaros, is the reported frontrunner for the Celtic manager’s job next season.
He has left the door wide open to a summer exit from the Budapest club, with whom he is currently at risk of losing the league title for the first time in eight years.
Despite this, Keane insists that Celtic speculation doesn’t bother him. Speaking to the British press this week, he described his managerial style.
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Celtic manager target Robbie Keane on hating some managers
On managing in the modern game, Keane told Sky Sports: “You have to be adaptable. You have to be adaptable in terms of your system, as well.
“You know, I hate when I hear managers: ‘I’m not going to change because this is the way I do things’. You do things accordingly to what you have on the pitch.”
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Asked about his own style compared to that of Pep Guardiola, Keane said: “I can’t look at Pep! He’s just unique.
“But also, he has the players. He has the players playing in the right way for him, of course. For me, I would kind of see my style a bit more Jurgen [Klopp].
“You know, front-foot. I don’t like centre-backs just keeping the ball for the sake of keeping the ball, when there’s pass in the midfield that you can just play through the lines quickly.
“It depends who you have, and what you have at your disposal.”
Finally, on the transition from playing to management, he said: “I found it quite natural, because I was captain for a long time.
“You know, you’d have to fall out with certain people. You know, people not turning up, disrespecting in some way, or especially the fitness guys or the kitmen.
“So I was always okay with that.”
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Celtic-linked Robbie Keane’s managerial record
Keane’s full managerial record of 6 May 2026 is as follows.
| Club ] | Period | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferencváros | Jan 2025 – Present | 80 | 48 | 16 | 15 | 60% |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | Jul 2023 – Jun 2024 | 53 | 40 | 10 | 6 | 75% |
| Total | 136 | 90 | 23 | 23 | 66% |
Crucially, he has also enjoyed a stellar season in Europe for Ferencvaros, currently leading Braga 2-0 in the Europa League round of 16.
In defeating Ludogorets in the previous round – in which Celtic were knocked out by Stuttgart – he secured the Hungarian side’s first European knockout win after Christmas in 54 years.
Their League Phase campaign wasn’t bad either; featuring wins away at both RB Salzburg and Genk as well as a sweet 2-1 home win over Rangers, after which Keane absolutely hammered the Ibrox side in the press.
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