Manchester United legend Roy Keane is being touted for a dramatic interim return to the club by several of his former teammates, despite having been out of management for over a decade.
Former Teammates Rally Behind Keane
With United currently under the caretaker leadership of Darren Fletcher following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, a growing chorus of club icons believes Keane could be the man to steady the ship. Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have publicly backed their former captain to take the reins for the remainder of the season.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Butt insisted Keane has "changed unbelievably in the last 10 years" and endorsed the idea as a worthwhile experiment. Fellow ex-defender Gary Pallister acknowledged Keane's long absence from the dugout but argued he would "shake it up" and "certainly command respect" at Old Trafford.
Bryan Robson has also tipped the 54-year-old for a management return, suggesting in October that he could partner with John O'Shea to lead the Republic of Ireland national team.
The Ferguson Factor: A Major Obstacle
However, Keane's potential candidacy faces a significant hurdle due to his past criticism of the club's legendary former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. In comments made on Sky Sports, Keane questioned Ferguson's ongoing influence, suggesting he and former chief executive David Gill were "hanging on like a bad smell."
This public fallout, stemming from Keane's controversial departure from United in 2005, could severely damage his prospects of a return. The Irishman has not managed a club since leaving Ipswich Town in 2011, making any appointment a considerable gamble.
Keane's Own Views and Preferences
Despite the growing speculation, Keane has routinely distanced himself from the United job. Interestingly, he has already named his preferred candidate to succeed Amorim: Newcastle United's Eddie Howe.
"I like what Howe has done," Keane said this month. "He's managed a lot of games, his teams play good football... I like his calmness - I think Man United sometimes need a bit of that." He praised Howe's achievements at Newcastle, including securing Champions League football and winning the Carabao Cup.
Nevertheless, Keane has expressed a general desire to return to coaching. On the Stick to Football podcast in 2023, he admitted, "I’d like to go back in, yeah... I’m still agitated every Saturday about not having a team."
The situation presents a fascinating dilemma for United's hierarchy, including minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. While Ratcliffe has recently scaled back Ferguson's formal ambassadorial role at the club, appointing a figure with such a storied and tempestuous past remains a high-risk strategy. The coming weeks will reveal whether the calls from Keane's former colleagues fall on deaf ears or ignite a sensational comeback story.
