ROBBIE KEANE ON THE RISE AS A BOSS AHEAD OF RANGERS CLASH
It's 65 years since Rangers last set foot on Hungarian soil to face Ferencvaros.
An aggregate win was the first step on a run to the final of the Cup Winner’s Cup which would end in disappointment with defeat to Fiorentina.
Although the club’s current followers aren’t familiar with the sights and sounds of Budapest, there will still be certain individuals in the opposition ranks this week who might provoke a sense of deja vu.
Stefan Gartenmann, once of Aberdeen, is the vice-captain. Daniel Arzani, who had an injury-curtailed loan spell at Celtic, plays on the wing.
Stephen Glass, a former Dons manager, is the club’s assistant. And the fellow sat beside him on the bench might just ring a bell, too.
The days when Robbie Keane celebrated goals with his trademark cartwheel, roll and smoking gun are over, but they can be seen in abundance on social media.
Across 20 years, in the colours of Tottenham, Liverpool, Celtic, the Republic of Ireland and others, the Dubliner went head over heels no fewer than 393 times.
Remarkably, 68 of those goals came across 146 caps. Keane is both Ireland’s top scorer and his nation’s record appearance holder.
The 45-year-old has nothing to prove to anyone in football, yet has embarked on a career in the dug-out with the same fervour with which he went at defenders while a teenager at Wolves.
History shows that a stellar playing career doesn’t always translate into a manager of substance. However, there is already compelling evidence to suggest that Keane may be classed with the select band who have successfully made the transition.
The journey began when an emergency thrust him into a player-manager role at Indian side ATK (his last club after LA Galaxy). It became more strategic when he filled assistant roles with Ireland, Middlesbrough and Leeds.
Keane first broke out on his own at Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023. It was to prove an extraordinary introduction.
He was criticised in some quarters for taking the role and had to vehemently defend his position saying: ‘I don’t want to get into politics, I’m here as a football man and someone that loves the game.’
Within four months, the Gaza war had begun. Keane was evacuated to Greece for his safety, with the league being played in neutral venues in Europe before resuming in Israel.
By the time the season concluded, he had led Maccabi to the title and the last 16 of the Conference League.
His decision to quit with a year to go on his contract didn’t defuse the situation. His wife Claudine detailed the extent of the abuse to which they had been subjected - including online death threats.
Keane’s next career move accordingly became a source of national debate. He took six months out before moving to Budapest to replace Pascal Jansen in January, He believed he would be judged solely on his attributes as a manager and, on this score, he’s been beyond reproach.
Ferencvaros were struggling to capture the seventh straight title they craved when he took over. The race went down to the last day, but a 2-1 victory over Gyor ensured that his team triumphed while Puskas Akademia - the project directly linked to prime minister Viktor Orban - would be denied their first crown.
A second successive championship success for Keane owed much to his willingness to be pragmatic.
When he first took charge, he attempted to implement a 4-3-3 system. After four matches, he realised he just didn’t have the players for it. A change of shape brought a change of fortunes and ultimately prevented the Hungarian game’s powerhouse from relinquishing the title.
‘I am paid to coach and I’m paid to find a way to win games,’ he reflected.
‘You have to be able to find a solution rather than stick to a formation.’
He also displayed an early ruthlessness as his side went on the run that would see them keep their title.
After a 7-0 home win over Nyiregyhaza Spartacus, he revealed that he told his players: ‘Don’t stop if you can smell blood.’
Keane’s God-given talent was honed on the streets of the Dublin suburb of Tallaght, yet it was nourished by dedication that few could match.
There are many stories which illustrated his desire to succeed. Perhaps the best one came when he moved to the MLS and the Irish public were starting to question if his commitment to the famous green shirt would be as it once was.
In October 2015, Ireland faced a crucial Euro qualifier against Germany. Keane’s son was born five days before the match. He arrived in the world at 6pm and, by 10pm, the forward was on a flight from LAX to Dublin. Ireland won the game and qualified.
For those who now wear the Ferencvaros shirt under him, no sacrifice is seen as being too great.
‘As a player, I demanded a lot from myself,’ he explained. ‘And that’s what I want from players I’m coaching.’
While discipline and dedication are his watch words, he feels he is no autocrat.
‘You have to let people know when things aren’t right,’ he said.
‘I’ve always done that as a player, as a captain, be that with players or staff. It’s about standards. If things need to be said then they’ll be said, it’s a man’s game.
‘I know the game. I can help strikers and defenders, because I played against defenders for 21 years. I will demand the very best from the players, it’s all about high standards. You have to train as you’d play and earn the right to be in that team.
‘I want players to express themselves, like I did. We want players to have no fear, don’t be frightened to try things. We don’t want them to be robots. Use your imagination, be clever and cheeky around the box. Those are the players who win games. We will encourage that freedom. Then, it’s up to them.’
So far this season, that approach has borne fruit. After a rocky start, Ferencvaros are back sitting in their customary position on top of Nemzeti Bajnoksag 1.
The disappointment of losing to Qarabag in the Champions League has been eased by going five games unbeaten in the Europa, where they now sit in sixth place.
Little wonder that Keane was linked with the recent vacancies at Wolves and Celtic. If he wins a third championship in as many years, that sort of speculation will only intensify.
Needing no less than a win to preserve Rangers’ slim hopes of progressing in the competition, the task facing Danny Rohl on Thursday is arduous.
If the German can spike the most famous gun in the game, his side really will be on a roll.
Read more- Could Keane's illustrious past with top clubs propel Ferencvaros to European glory this season?
- What is keeping football legend Robbie Keane captivated by Ferencvaros despite tantalizing links to his boyhood heroes, Celtic?
- Can Robbie Keane lead Ferencvaros to victory in Europe after guiding Maccabi to success despite fierce criticism?
- Can Keita rejuvenate his football career at Ferencvaros and prove his doubters wrong under Robbie Keane?
- How will Danny Rohl's fresh strategy and reinvigorated coaching team conquer negativity and guide Rangers to European victory?