In the end, Roy Keane just couldn't handle the job anymore.
The former Manchester United star's first managerial job has ended as Keane stepped down from his post as Sunderland's manager after 100 games in charge.
Somewhere, Jack Warner is laughing.
Keane took over the Sunderland post in 2006 and helped lead the Black Cats from the League Championship to the Premier League, but life in the top flight proved difficult for the Irishman, who never could find the right mix of players despite a boat-load of signings.
No word yet on a replacement (first-team coach Ricky Sbragia will be the interim manager), but whoever takes over will inherit a team struggling in the EPL relegation zone after a 4-1 loss to Bolton last weekend.
Here are some other stories to get your day started:
Internacional win Copa Sudamericana
An overtime goal from striker Nilmar proved to be the difference as Brazilian club Internacional defeated Argentinian club Estudiantes in the Copa Sudamericana final on Wednesday night.
Internacional won the first leg of the home-and-home series, 1-0, but Estudiantes scored in regulation of the second leg to force overtime. Nilmar scored 23 minutes into overtime to help Interacional win the title and set off a pretty wild celebration:
Cruz Azul dumps Atlante
Goals from three different players, including long-time Mexican international Jaime Lozano, helped Cruz Azul post a 3-0 thrashing of Atlante in the first leg of their Mexican Apertura semifinal series on Wednesday night.
Miguel Sabah converted a penalty just seven minutes in and Cruz Azul was never really threatened after that, with Luis Rey's goal serving as consolation for Atlante, which must now win by two or more goals in the second leg to have a chance of reaching the Mexican Apertura final.
Here are the highlights, including a pretty soft penalty for the first Cruz Azul goal:
Santos Laguna takes on Toluca tonight in the first leg of the other semifinal.
Torres to be sidelined until January
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be out of action until January with the same hamstring injury that has been plaguing him much of the season.
What do you think of the above stories? Surprised to see Keane go, or did you think it was inevitable? Surprised that it took a Brazilian club this long to win the Copa Sudamericana? Will you be watching Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Santos Laguna tonight? Do you think Liverpool can hold onto first place in the EPL with Torres out until January?
Share your thoughts on these, and any other stories from Thursday morning or Wednesday in the comments section below.
i remember Nilmar
lol signing him to my team as in manager mode in fifa 07, he developed to be one of the best strikers in the game n.n
never seen him in real life until now
Ko’d said–I understand all of that. But why does it matter that Keane got his coaching badges in Florida? What link does that give him to Seattle? I just don’t understand the connection, at all. Do you assume that since he was here for a little while that he likes it and feels a kinship with the Americans.
It’s not so much that he got them in Florida versus the time in which he took to do it which was during his off season. Had he gotten them in Tibet or Mars, I would have mentioned it – especially Mars.
“”No idea who Sunderland thinks they’ll get that can do a better job. Surely they’ll get someone who *thinks* they can.””
——————————————–
I’ve heard it will be Big Sam Allardyce. Plus, Big Sam can wheel and deal, getting rid of some players (Sunderland have over 50, I think), and bringing a few new ones in.
Ives–sorry for the duplicative post. Don’t know what happened!
no torres, no championship. unless they acquire another player with his abilities asap.
I also mention that on the same day Roy “Soft” Keane quits on his team, Mick McCarthy (you know, the manager Keane quit on while playing for Ireland) wins Manager of the Month for Wolves. The irony!
Chupacabra: well done. Perhaps I was repressing, again.
AL17–I understand all of that. But why does it matter that Keane got his coaching badges in Florida? What link does that give him to Seattle? I just don’t understand the connection, at all. Do you assume that since he was here for a little while that he likes it and feels a kinship with the Americans.
Also, I think Wenger is brilliant. You have confused the word “aberration” for another word. Aberration = deviation from the normal course. That is, Wenger’s trip to Japan was not the normal course of a manager’s career. As Chupacabra points out, the other aberration is Gullit. Not only did he have some issues with success, but he made it clear to the rest of the world what he thought of MLS. Keane may not be BFF with Gullit, but I am sure he would not the sentiments.
Chupacabra: well done. Perhaps I was repressing, again.
AL17–I understand all of that. But why does it matter that Keane got his coaching badges in Florida? What link does that give him to Seattle? I just don’t understand the connection, at all. Do you assume that since he was here for a little while that he likes it and feels a kinship with the Americans.
Also, I think Wenger is brilliant. You have confused the word “aberration” for another word. Aberration = deviation from the normal course. That is, Wenger’s trip to Japan was not the normal course of a manager’s career. As Chupacabra points out, the other aberration is Gullit. Not only did he have some issues with success, but he made it clear to the rest of the world what he thought of MLS. Keane may not be BFF with Gullit, but I am sure he would not the sentiments.
This Torres news pisses me off very much. Rafa’s been vocal about his displeasure with the Spanish national team and their insistance to play Torres while he’s nursing an injury. This is twice this year that Torres has had to hit the bench for a few weeks because Spain was careless in their use of him while Rafa has been very cautious to play him in league matches at less than 100pct.
Especially after the last three draws against weaker opponents, we need Torres if Liverpool’s to push on into the second half of the season and retain the top spot. Damn you Spain.
Rafa blaming the Spanish team is a joke. If he was injured this last time vs Chile why play him in two matches?
Also why would the docs harm one of their own? Esp someone with a high profile as Torres does.
Rafa needs to blame his docs /himself for putting Torres on the pitch too soon.
Ko’d,
the coaching badges are the reason why he was able to manage professionally without any problems. You need them. FIFA requires them as does every Confederation and National Federation. It’s more than just a resume filler. Without them you can’t manage a pro team, hell you technically can’t manage a youth side. Championship football is alot different than Premiership level. Very few teams have made the jump and stayed after having made such a jump. Those clubs whom have moved into top flight and have been successful are far and few between. A manager with experience at that level makes a world of difference. His pedigree et al may help but experience at that level helps much more. Mark my word, someone will make the jump from MLS to Premiership and it will happen alot sooner than you think.
Maybe you don’t like Wenger but there is no way in hell he’s an aberration as a manager. He’s definitely one of the best on the planet and his counterparts have no problem admitting it – Ferguson, Scolari, Eriksson, Mourinho, and Jacquet are all on record as having said such a thing.
MLS would be the perfect setting for him. No language barrier, privacy when he needs it and a chance to continue in his development as a manager w/o the nutty stress.
In some other US soccer news, CLEVELAND CITY is now in the USL First Division. We’re replacing Atlanta.
>Name one coach in MLS who was ever a manager in the Premiership. (ko’d)
Ruud Gullit. And we all know how well that worked out.
I think Roy expected a lot out of himself in this job and wasn’t able to get the results in the EPL he wanted. I’ll always remember when he was first hired, the team was in last place and he came in and signed something like a dozen players right at the end of the window. He brought in a lot of guys that he knew were competitive and could do the job. Unfortunately he had to get better talent to compete in the EPL, and it’s been hard to come by. For all the truckloads of cash he’s spent the past two seasons, they have little show for it. The team still makes a lot of the same mistakes (especially defensively). I think he needs more experience and was in a little over his head.
Fire Ron Geunther = Jack Warner
(Kidding)
Roy Keane quit on Ireland in the 2002 World Cup, whining about Mick McCarthy and the training facilities in Saipan. Roy Keane quit on Manchester United in 2005 when he slagged his young teammates. Great captain! Roy Keane quit on Sunderland in 2008.
This guy is an egomaniac who folds at the slightest hint of trouble.
Al17–
I disagree on all counts. Keane did a magnificent job managing Sunderland from the Championship to the Premier League. He is still a very young coach, though. His passion and pedigree will command offers from teams in similar situations to Sunderland’s before they made the jump.
Seattle could pick up Mariner or someone else if they do not sign Schmid. Plus, I can’t see any reason why Keane would be interested in coaching in the MLS. Name one coach in MLS who was ever a manager in the Premiership. Keane may not have been ready, but he could be with more seasoning. Wenger is an aberration.
Getting coaching badges in Florida is about as relevant as playing an exhibition in Florida. It just adds to the resume.
Ives,
Off topic, but when are we going to see venues announced for the Hex? I thought they said 10 days when the schedule was announced, but that has come and gone. Any idea?
Roy Keane resigned, he was canned, or was he? Bottomline is that Sunderland would lose a hell of alot of money if they drop to the Championship and anything they can do to help keep it from happening,they will do.
Well, one can definitely place the blame on Keane in this situation. He’s the one who brought in a few high profile players and is responsible for making this work. This is his team.
Another thing to note here is that he needs more time at smaller or lower level club with less pressure to really learn the business. Paul Ince is also having problems with BlackBurn, however he’s spent time at the smaller clubs, Macclesfield Town and Milton Keynes Dons and I think as the season progresses, BlackBurn will avoid the drop his experience at those clubs.
I like Benitez’s comment. Expect Torres to pull out of the Spain squad next time he gets called up. :p
This is the worst time to lose one of your best players. A lot of challengers fall by the wayside every year around the holidays. There are just so many games in a short timeframe.
Don’t be surprised if Keane is managing an MLS side within the next year or two. Why?
What’s going on with Seattle? What about one of the new expansion clubs? His name alone would sell a boatload of tickets.
He completed work on his coaching badges in Florida a few years back during the summer when he played for Manchester United. It would also make sense for him seeing how Wenger went to Japan and managed for a few years after coaching Monaco and before he went to Arsenal.
No idea who Sunderland thinks they’ll get that can do a better job. Surely they’ll get someone who *thinks* they can. This is just another example of short-attention-span syndrome. Keane was learning on the job, but did Sunderland *really* expect to challenge for Europe this year?