Sunderland manager Roy Keane has quit rather than being fired, after being named as one of the leading “sack race” contendors for several weeks now. The Sunderland AFC website contains a statement:
“Keane, who decided the time had come to stand down took over Sunderland in August 2006 when the team were languishing at the bottom of the Championship. He steered the Black Cats to promotion to the Premier League at the first attempt and maintained Premier League status in 2008. [...]
The Board will now commence the task of identifying and recruiting a successor and Ricky Sbragia has agreed to take over team management assisted by Neil Bailey and Dwight Yorke as an interim measure.”
Pete Sixsmith of Salut Sunderland sums it up with “it didn’t come as a real surprise.” Is anyone surprised by this and what dark place have you been hiding in lately?
Meanwhile, Portsmouth’s run of bad luck continues:-
“Players and staff from Portsmouth FC were left stranded at Southampton airport after Flightline Ltd went into administration overnight.” (Source: The Guardian)
Portsmouth FC stuck in Southampton? I bet that gave the locals some amusement.
3 comments so far
1 john // Dec 4, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Keane seemed to do OK until Sunderland trusted his judgement in the transfer market, an area where he still has to prove himself. Overall Sunderland fans will be more than happy with his contribution in getting them back to, and staying in the premier league.
I wonder if facing Fergie at the weekend hastened his decision to leave?
2 Dave Stopher // Dec 5, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Am I the only person to think that Keane is a coward!!!
3 MJ Ray // Dec 5, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Is Keane a coward or is he about to join the Man Utd management team as a long-term apprentice to Fergie?