MICAH RICHARDS has claimed it would be difficult for Roy Keane to return to football management.
The Manchester United legend recently emerged as a contender for the Republic of Ireland national team job following the departure of Stephen Kenny.
Keane was a member of the nation’s backroom staff under Martin O’Neill between 2013 and 2018.
And after Ireland failed to qualify for Euro 2024, Keane has been tipped to turn their misfortunes around.
However, Sky Sports pundit Richards – who has a blossoming relationship with Keane on TV – suggested it could be difficult for the 52-year-old to step back into management.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast with Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker, the ex-Manchester City star was asked for his insight on the Keane links to the Ireland gig.
Richards said: “You know what, I think Roy obviously would be a great fit but he’s so good at punditry or so well-liked – people like his punditry, I love his punditry, some people don’t like his punditry – but he’s so well-liked within the media [that] I don’t understand why he would take a job.
“It’s like you Al (Shearer), he’s not had a job for ten years. I would be very difficult now to just go in a changing room and think things are going to be the same now to ten years ago.”
The last time Keane was an outright manager was at Ipswich Town between 2009 and 2011, while also having a two-year spell at Sunderland before that.
His last coaching role came in 2019 with Nottingham Forest – who today announced the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo after sacking Steve Cooper – but he only stayed in the post for six months.
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Richards, 35, then asked Shearer for his own take on the matter, with the Newcastle icon responding: “No, I agree. I totally agree with that.
“I think he would be an obvious choice because of who and what he is but when you’ve been out a long time, I think it’ll be very difficult to go back in and adjust as you have to nowadays.
“Because there is no doubt about it, management is different now to ten, 20, 30 years ago. You have to be different.”
Keane won the Championship with Sunderland in the 2006/07 season and helped them avoid relegation with two games to spare the following season.
He has been a regular on Sky Sports since 2019, earning himself a reputation as a fan-favourite.
Richards also revealed a Keane had given him a new nickname as his “kitman”.
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