Roy Keane told to put 'hat in the ring' for Celtic boss - but ex-Sunderland ally explains he'll be reluctant

Roy Keane should put his ‘hat in the ring’ for the Celtic job, according to former Sunderland Chairman and Irish international teammate Niall Quinn.

The no-nonsense pundit has been out of the management game for 17 years since losing his job at Ipswich Town. While Quinn thinks he’d enjoy a spell back on the dugout, he is also wary that he’s enjoying his current job analysing the play too much. Keane joined the Sky Sports team in 2019 and is a regular on Super Sunday for English Premier League fixtures.

Keane was previously linked with a Celtic Park vacancy in 2014 - but turned it down as Ronny Deila took the reins instead. Having had a brief spell playing for the club towards the end of his career, the Irishman will be under no illusions what the standards at the club are set at - and as his 13-year trophy-laden Manchester United career suggests, he is a natural winner.

Why would Roy Keane be ‘box office’ at Celtic?

Current Hoops boss Martin O’Neill is taking time over the international break to ‘reflect’ on his position after three successive defeats. Even if he does decide to stay on at the club, his contract will run out at the end of the season, leaving the Hoops manager-less. Sunderland icon Quinn - who appointed Keane manager at the Stadium of Light during his stint as Chairman - reckons Keane would be ‘box office’.

Speaking on the Graeme Souness Tackles podcast, he said: "If Roy wanted to put his name in the hat, it would be huge. He hasn’t managed for a while, but you’d be a testament to say that when it’s in you, it’s in you forever. I think he’s more or less said that himself, and I certainly wouldn’t object to thinking that would be a hell of a thing to do. I had him myself at Sunderland, and he really got the city going – because he’s box office, the man. There’s no doubt about that."

Why might Keane be reluctant to take the Hoops job?

He continued: "I just think he looks very happy doing what he does these days, I’ve never seen him smile so much. Going back in at the deep end, and having referees and things go wrong, and matches at the weekend and players… I don’t know if the fire will still be raging in him."

Speaking to Sky Sports colleague Micah Richards last week, Keane explained that there are some days he wouldn’t mind returning to management - but these thoughts come and go. He said: Strangely enough, at weekends when I'm watching games, there are teams I watch and you go, 'I think I could go in there and do a job.'

"But it’s mostly at weekends. It’s not through the week. It’s not Monday morning when I’m having my scrambled egg at the local cafe, just reading a paper. All these managers driving up and down the motorways and stresses. But yeah, I do. I think there’s always something there.”

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