Roy Keane: Pundit raises dressing room fears at Sunderland after interview update
Noel Whelan has suggested Roy Keane could “lose the dressing room” if appointed Sunderland manager.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider insisted the 50-year-old would need to keep his “passion” and “expectations” in check if he is to return to the Stadium of Light.
As revealed by Football Insider on Thursday (3 February), Sunderland held early discussions with Keane over the vacant manager’s post and were lining up formal talks.
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope claims Keane’s interview is taking place today, with former Hull boss Grant McCann interviewed yesterday.
Whelan warned the ex-Manchester United boss may have to temper his fiery approach or quickly lose the dressing room.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “It’s a difficult one, isn’t it? He’s been a permanent fixture for Sky Sports sports over these past five, six years.
“It’s a job that is there for somebody to carry on and definitely get automatic promotion.
“If you’re looking for experience, a player with a winning mentality and is a winner through and through, you don’t look much further than Roy Keane.
“You see the passion that he gives on TV. I’m sure he gives the same on the training ground and with the players.
“You have got to be careful with that passion and the career that he has had of being over-passionate at times. That you don’t lose the dressing room or dent players’ confidence.
“He might be expecting more from them because of the player that he was. That is the fine borderline, but there’s no doubt that he’s capable of doing that job. There’s not doubt he’s capable of being successful.
“It’s just that man-management side where the passion can sometimes take away confidence from players. That is because of the player that he was and the expectation.”
Keane spent two years in charge of Sunderland between 2006 and 2008.
He has not held a manager’s position since leaving Ipswich in January 2011.
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