Robbie Keane has landed his first managerial role after Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv confirmed this morning that the Ireland legend has signed a two-year deal.
Keane, 42, was a member of Sam Allardyce's management team that failed in their late bid to keep Leeds United in the Premier League last season, and prior to that spent a year working with former Leeds team-mate Jonathan Woodgate at Middlesbrough in the 2019-20 season.
The Dubliner was in Mick McCarthy's Ireland backroom team during his second stint in charge between 2018 and 2020, and he remained on the FAI's payroll until the end of his contract last summer despite current Ireland boss Stephen Kenny's decision not to retain his services.
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Former Tottenham and Liverpool striker Keane, who remains Ireland's record goalscorer and appearance holder, is due to arrive in Tel Aviv this week to begin preparations for the new Israeli Premier League season.
Keane takes over from Spanish coach Aitor Karanka in the role - Karanka was only six months into an 18 month deal when he was released.
He is Maccabi's seventh manager in three years so Keane will have to hit the ground running and bring stability to the club if success is to follow.
"I am happy to take on this challenge at Maccabi," Keane told the club's official website.
"My team and I are already looking forward to starting work and we are confident in our ability to do what is necessary to prepare the team for the upcoming season."
Maccabi owner, Mitch Goldhar, said: "Robbie brings with him the mentality, character, energy and focus of a winner, qualities that he demonstrated everywhere he played.
"These characteristics combined with the ambitions to succeed as a coach are in line with our goals at Maccabi."
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