Able but not always Keane

I like it this much: Roy Keane is still getting used to this management lark
14 April 2012

Roy Keane envisaged a few years enjoying Christmas with the wife and kids before being ready to commit to a lifetime of football management, but then Niall Quinn came along.

The Sunderland manager has admitted, with typical forthright honesty, that he is not enjoying every aspect of the job he took on at the end of August when the Championship club were flirting with the thought of relegation.

Read more:

• Roy's managerial rants

Six new signings, 18 games and less than four months later and Sunderland are now on the verge of the play-off places, keeping the gap to just three points as they prepare for tonight's awkward visit to Crystal Palace, where they have won just once in 25 years. A Boxing Day meeting with his old foes from Leeds then beckons.

Keane did admit there are parts of his new life that he does enjoy. Time on the training ground is well spent and match days, particularly successful ones, stand out from the days he has to spend on the telephone planning for new recruits during next month's transfer window.

Quinn, his chairman, has indicated the club's Irish consortium plan to greet the New Year with a visit to the January sales, but Keane is frustrated by the amount of time spent talking to agents and opposing managers.

"There are parts of your life you don't particularly enjoy and parts you do," he said.

"Do I like the whole package? No. And the one or two managers I've spoken to say it gets worse.

"God knows why we do it. It's a challenge. I could have an easy life. You get moments like last week, with the equaliser at Burnley, and you can enjoy that for 30 seconds, like a player, but then you focus on the next game.

"The challenge of being a manager is totally different looking at all aspects of the club. There is something going on every single day. I suppose you're too busy to enjoy it. You're on the phone, you're speaking to agents - all the stuff that isn't my cup of tea, but it's part of the job.

"When I finished playing I thought it would be travelling, taking it easy, walking my dog, spending time with me kids. I'd fancied doing a bit of skiing with my kids, going to Australia over Christmas, doing the sort of things you can't do when you are a player.

"I had all sorts of plans but it just goes to show you that if you want to give God a laugh, tell him your plans.

"That was about it - I wasn't looking too far ahead. I did plan on chilling out for a year or two but obviously Sunderland came calling and I thought 'it's a great opportunity'. I've no regrets. It's brilliant here at Sunderland and it's definitely the job for me, although there is too much going on to enjoy it.

"The greatest satisfaction for me as manager is seeing the players all giving 100 per cent for each other and that they're all in it together because once you've got that you've got a chance. But there's a hell of a long way to go yet."

Keane quickly added six players when he joined the club and, although they have all taken different periods of time to make an impression, all have proved significant acquisitions.

Of those, Graham Kavanagh is one of the best midfielders in the division, Ross Wallace looks a gem on the left and David Connolly took his English league tally to a century last week.

The former Manchester United skipper has also made major changes to his backroom staff, appointing close friend Tony Loughlin as his assistant and bringing in new fitness coaches and analysts to work at one of the most advanced training facilities outside the Premiership.

Understandably, his relationship with his former Ireland team-mate Quinn is bound to be tested over the coming weeks and months as they look to strengthen and build on the momentum which has finally taken them into the top half of the table.

Keane said: "The one or two people I've brought in haven't affected the ones that were already here, they've improved the staff who are here ultimately to help the players whether it be with fitness levels, diet, weight. My job boils down to being here to help the players and if I can help them become better players then we will all be happy.

"When I took the job it was clear that I was going to be running the show, picking the teams, picking the players blah, blah, blah and any manager who is half-decent wouldn't take a job otherwise. Niall's been fine. We discuss players and potential targets and who's under contract, whatever it might be. It's all been very straightforward - there have been no problems yet.

"I have not made that many mistakes but I think I sat in the canteen one day with a few of the players in the first few weeks which I shouldn't have done. Afterwards I was kicking myself thinking, 'you can't do that' and I've not done it since. It's about making a break from the players. That's the only real error I've made in terms of keeping my distance from the players.

"Even now I have my moments. I sit at the staff table and see the players and I think I'd rather sit with the players - and I think the staff would be happier with that as well.

"I should sit on my own again like I did with United and Ireland. Or maybe I need to get room service to my office.

"I've made small changes, there is no magic wand. Mentally we've been decent, which you have to be at Sunderland, because the fans are very demanding and the players have plugged into it, but it's only the tip of the iceberg in terms of where we want to go.

"The club has been through so much over the last six to eight months. Relegation, new owners, no manager for the summer, so you couldn't bring in any players, and lads didn't know what the contracts situations were. There was so much indecision.

"Niall took over for a games and then I took over and the fans were left scratching their heads wondering what was going on.

"Hopefully we've laid foundations now, although the fans will know we're far from the finished article. But if we keep giving 100 per cent, the fans will be happy, even if the quality isn't always there."

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