- Irish coach heading to Israel
- Limited experience to date
- Confident he can succeed
WHAT HAPPENED? The ex-Republic of Ireland international boasts limited coaching experience, but is taking the decision to head out of his own after accepting a two-year contract with the most successful side in Israeli football. Keane will be stepping well outside of his comfort zone when linking up with Maccabi, but insists that he is ready for the challenge.
WHAT THEY SAID: Keane has told the club’s official website: “I am happy to take on this challenge at Maccabi. My team and I are already looking forward to starting work and we are confident in our ability to do what is necessary to prepare the team for the upcoming season.”
Club owner Mitch Goldhar added: “Robbie brings with him the mentality, character, energy and focus of a winner, qualities that he demonstrated everywhere he played. These characteristics combined with the ambitions to succeed as a coach are in line with our goals at Maccabi.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Keane scored over 400 goals during his distinguished playing career, with the 42-year-old also spending time with the likes of Wolves, Coventry, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa and the LA Galaxy. He is Ireland’s most-capped player, on 146 appearances, and is also his country’s all-time leading goalscorer after finding the target on 68 occasions in international football.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Keane took in a brief spell as player-manager of Indian outfit ATK at the end of his playing days and has worked as an assistant coach with the Republic of Ireland, Middlesbrough and Leeds – with the 2022-23 campaign ending with him suffering relegation out of the Premier League alongside Sam Allardyce at Elland Road.