Robbie Keane lands management role after Leeds United exit with European football chance

Ex-Leeds striker Keane returned to the club in May to join new boss Sam Allardyce’s backroom staff as an assistant along with Karl Robinson. Allardyce was brought in with four games of the Premier League season remaining in a bid to keep Leeds up but the 68-year-old, Robinson and Keane all left the club upon United’s relegation to the Championship.

Three and a half weeks later, 42-year-old Keane has now been unveiled as the new manager of Israeli Premier League outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv. The club announced the news on Monday morning on their social media channels with a picture of Keane together with “welcome coach.”

Keane has signed a two-year deal with the Tel Aviv side who say that the ex-Leeds ace will arrive in the city in the coming days to begin preparations for the forthcoming season. Multiple former champions Maccabi finished last season in third place, qualifying for next season’s Europa Conference League.

Keane told the club’s official website: “I am delighted to take on this challenge at Maccabi. My team and I look forward to beginning work and we have confidence in our ability to do what is necessary to prepare the team for the coming season.”

Maccabi’s owner, Mitch Goldhar, added: “Robbie brings the mentality, character, energy and focus of a winner, traits he exhibited everywhere he played. These characteristics now combined with ambitions to succeed as a coach are aligned with our objectives at Maccabi.”

Keane has taken up various coaching positions since retiring from playing but the Maccabi post presents his first job in outright management. The former striker had a spell in charge of ATK in India as player manager in 2018. Keane replaces Aitor Karanka as head coach of Maccabi who have been crowned Israeli champions 24 times.

The club has competed in the Champions League and Europa League in recent years, reaching the Champions League group stages in both 2005 and 2016.