Melbourne Victory tight-lipped over Keane
Reuters - Thursday 07 April 2011, 07:24
MELBOURNE - Australia's Melbourne Victory
have declined to hose down rampant media speculation the club is
pursuing former Manchester United captain Roy Keane to take on a
coaching role.
Keane, who was sacked as manager of English Championship club Ipswich Town in January, was spotted in
the crowd at an Asian Champions League fixture in Sydney on
Wednesday, fuelling speculation the 39-year-old might be set to
meet Victory officials.
Melbourne, two-time champions in Australia's top-flight
A-League, sacked their coach Ernie Merrick last month and are
one of the few clubs in the competition not reliant on financial
assistance from the game's national administrators.
Victory, who have been coached by caretaker Mehmet Durakovic
since Merrick's dismissal, drew 1-1 away to Chinese side Tianjin
Teda on Tuesday.
Victory declined to provide immediate comment when contacted
by Reuters on Thursday.
Local media had earlier quoted a Victory spokesman as
saying: "We won't be commenting on speculation regarding the
coaching position.
"Suffice to say, we still have a long way to go in the
process of appointing a coach."
The comments have done little to quell the frenzy over
Keane's Australia visit, with former Australia goalkeeper and
television pundit Mark Bosnich tweeting his enthusiasm.
"Roy Keane to Melbourne would b(e) a gr8 coup for Melbourne
Victory and the A-League. Watch this space!!!" he said on
Twitter.
Despite the A-League's low profile, a possible role for the
former Ireland midfielder in Australia's top-flight would not be
without precedent.
Trinidad and Tobago striker Dwight Yorke, a team mate of
Keane's at Manchester United, played as a marquee signing for
Sydney FC, while former England striker Robbie Fowler is
weighing up a second season at Perth Glory after one with the
now defunct North Queensland Fury.