Robbie Keane: Celtic Manager Debate Misguided, Says Ian Dowie
Robbie Keane has been tipped as a Celtic manager in waiting – and Ian Dowie insists the debate around the Irishman has drifted into the wrong territory.
Keane, who most recently managed Ferencvaros, came close to landing the Celtic job on a permanent basis before Dermot Desmond turned to Martin O’Neill for a short-term stint. The prospect of Keane in the Parkhead dugout sparked protests from sections of the support, with anger centred on his previous role at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
For Dowie, that reaction misses the point.
The former Crystal Palace manager believes Keane is being judged on politics and perception rather than touchline talent, and that the conversation around his time in Israel has unfairly clouded his candidacy.
“In terms of Robbie Keane, I think the fan opposition to Keane stems from where he has managed previously, which I understand,” Dowie told BettingLounge. “I think he should really just be judged on his footballing ability.”
That is the crux of Dowie’s argument: strip away the noise and look at the coach. Keane’s work with Ferencvaros and his international experience, he feels, should carry more weight than the controversy attached to one line on his CV.
Keane is not the only Irishman Dowie sees as a serious contender for Celtic. Damien Duff, who briefly worked on the coaching staff at Parkhead, also earns strong praise.
“Keane certainly has more experience internationally, but Damien Duff has done a fantastic job wherever he's been,” Dowie said. “Both would be strong candidates, but it's hard to say for sure.”
The size of the task, he stresses, cannot be overstated. Celtic – locked in that eternal Glasgow duel with Rangers – demand a manager with a hard edge and a thick skin as much as a tactical plan.
“Celtic is a massive club, they, along with Rangers, are huge entities,” Dowie added. “You need a specific mindset to manage a club of that stature, and both Duff and Keane certainly possess that mentality.”
Right now, in Dowie’s eyes, Keane nudges ahead. Not because he plays the political game, but almost in spite of it.
“I think Keane might be the favourite right now, but I don't think he's a political person,” he said. “He's been dragged into the narrative a bit.”
The question for Celtic, then, is a simple one dressed in layers of complexity: when the time comes to choose, do they listen to the protests – or to the football man who insists Robbie Keane is ready for the job?
