Odds slashed on Robbie Keane to be next Ireland manager after leaving club job

Legendary striker Robbie Keane is now the third favourite to be named the next permanent Republic of Ireland manager after leaving his role as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel. 

The former Tottenham and Liverpool goalscorer and Ireland's all-time record goalscorer led Maccabi Tel Aviv to an Israeli league title and Champions League qualification last season despite criticism levelled at him for remaining in the position during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

With Keane now a free agent, a number of clubs in England are likely to be interested but those at the helm of the FAI may also be interested in acquiring his services again.

On the pitch, Keane was an Ireland legend, netting 68 goals in a glorious 18-year international career. Since becoming a manager, he has been in charge of ATK in India and Tel Aviv where he enjoyed success. While Maccabi Tel Aviv is the most successful club domestically in the Israeli Premier League, they had not won the league title since 2020. 

Given his availability, bookies have slashed the odds on him becoming Ireland manager. He is at best a 6/1 shot but had been as big as a 40/1 shot in recent weeks. The Ireland job has been effectively empty since Stephen Kenny left the role in November 2023 with John O'Shea being retained as interim manager ever since. 

O'Shea led Ireland to victory in a friendly match over Hungary at the Aviva last week, ending the visitor's 15-match unbeaten run. He takes charge again for a visit to Portugal on Tuesday, June 11, where he'll be hoping another good performance will cement his chances of keeping the reins full-time. 

O'Shea remains a general 2/1 shot to become the permanent boss but the bookies still have former Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol as favourite at 11/8. Sagnol is the current Georgia boss and will be on show at Euro 2024 after qualifying the team for a major tournament for the first time as an independent nation and not part of the Soviet Union.

Gerogia will face Portugal, Turkey and the Czech Republic in the group stages of the tournament in Germany this summer.