Ireland's Roy Keane has made an amazing comeback to English soccer.
Keane returns to management with Ipswich Town just one day after the club fired Northern Ireland's Jim Magilton by phone.
The Cork native penned a two-year deal with the Tractor Boys and will be officially unveiled at a press conference later today
Ipswich are currently ninth in the Championship League (one league below the Premiership) and have no hope of being promoted this season.
“I truly believe that I am joining a club that has the potential, ambition and infrastructure to once again be a Premier League side,” Keane said on aasuming the role.
“The club’s owner and chief executive impressed upon me their total focus on achieving this quest at the earliest opportunity and I can’t wait to get started.”
The first appointment of the Kenae era is Tony Loughlan, Keano's right hand man at Sunderland, who will be his assistant manager again at Portman Road.
Iswick town owner Marcus Evans added: “I am delighted Roy has agreed to join us and we are completely aligned in our ambitions for Ipswich Town.
“He has extensive contacts in the game, and is a proven winner who encourages his team to play the attractive football that Ipswich Town fans have come to expect. I believe he is the right man to take this club to where we want to be – The Premier League.”
It's deja vu all over again for Keane who would inherit a similar situation to the one he took on at Sunderland three years ago.
Back then, Sunderland were floundering in the Championship, and Keane cajoled and dragged them to the top of the table in his first year in charge.
It remains to be seen if he can do the same at Ipswich next season, as they do not have the same deep pockets as Sunderland did.
It also remains to be seen if Ipswich will be serving prawn sandwiches to the fans!
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