So the latest doing the rounds today is that Celtic have opened talks with Roy Keane about becoming the new manager.
Football Insider has reported that the Hoops have kick-started a dialogue with him. This comes after it was reported earlier this month that he would be keen on the Parkhead gig [Scottish Sun].
Now, this clearly wouldn’t be the fans’ choice. However, that’s seldom mattered to the board, has it? And in fairness, Celtic can still appoint a manager the fans aren’t keen on and it could still be a success.
But Roy Keane most certainly is not that man. We’re talking about a manager who’s had 10 years in the managerial wilderness. You have to actually go back to to 2011 for Keane’s last sting in management. But you have to go even further back to remember his last successful season back in 2007/08.
We’re talking about a manager who, when he left Sunderland, the players were reportedly left celebrating [The Telegraph]. This was said to be due to Keane’s harsh managerial style. Even going back a decade, the modern changing room has developed a lot, and Keane wouldn’t get away with the same harsh approach.
However, if Desmond does go down this route, it’s his comments earlier this week that would be the biggest slap in the fact.
“Research, investigation, interviewing and negotiation” – the Dermot Desmond process
Celtic’s majority shareholder hit out with the four phrases above when asked by the club’s media team about the managerial search. When asked who was in charge of that process, he stated the following:
“The chairman Ian Bankier, Peter Lawwell and myself take a lead in the process, and naturally, the incoming CEO will also participate. Any decision made will require Board approval.”
When asked on what his hopes were for next season, Desmond stated that he wanted to: “Recruit a manager that plays football the way that all Celtic supporters want and that we give that manager the time to implement their own plans.”
If he’s to then turn around and say that Keane is that man? It would undermine the whole interview and the whole managerial recruitment process.
If Celtic do their research and investigation into Keane, as Desmond outlines as two of the key stages of recruitment, they’ll come to the right conclusion immediately. He isn’t fit to take the job and isn’t qualified enough to take the job.
And are we to truly believe that incoming CEO Dominic McKay would be all for Keane? We’re talking about a Celtic season-ticket holder here. One of us. The idea is that he thinks like us, and it’s highly unlikely Keane is at the forefront of his thoughts.
Finally, where is the evidence that Keane plays the Celtic way? His Sunderland team was hardly renowned for its great football. There’s no evidence of Keane ever managing to develop an exciting attacking philosophy with either Sunderland or Ipswich.
If this appointment does indeed go through, it would be utter incompetence once again. Desmond and his buddies in the boardroom need to think long and hard about their next move.
In other news, Stale Solbakken’s comments are a major blow for Celtic in any Elyounoussi chase.
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