Major League Soccer's best player Robbie Keane has admitted his desire to get into management. This is following comments from LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena that Keane's tactical nous was responsible for Galaxy's first goal and his assertion that his star striker could become a player-manager someday.
At half-time, Robbie Keane suggested that Gyasi Zardes switch positions with Landon Donovan. A few minutes later, Zardes scored the opening goal.
Keane says management is well into the future, but predicted he will be a manager some day.
I use my experience, I have been playing the game for a long time now. When I say something they can sense it because I have been there and done it. Player-manager? There is still a long way to go yet, but one day I will be.
Outside of the League of Ireland, very few managers from the Republic of Ireland have been successful. David O'Leary's star shone brightly for a very brief spell at Leeds before it all came crashing down and Liam Brady's time at Celtic was underwhelming. Pat Fenlon did creditably at Hibernian.
John Giles remains the most successful southern Irish football manager in the history of English football, and he only had a couple of spells at West Brom, getting them promoted in his first season and guiding them to sixth place in the top flight before decamping to Shamrock Rovers. He returned to guide them to safety in 1985.
In between, he won the NASL coach of the year in 1982 for guiding the Vancouver Whitecaps to third place. By contrast, his time in the League of Ireland was wholly unsuccessful.
