Roy Keane has left his role as Aston Villa assistant manager with immediate effect, the Premier League club have announced.
The 43-year-old had served as No2 to the club’s Paul Lambert and the Republic of Ireland’s Martin O’Neill but decided that fully committing to both roles was not possible.
“Ultimately, my roles with Villa and Ireland and combining my commitment to these have become too much,” Keane explained. “It isn’t fair to either Villa or Ireland, so I’ve made this decision. I’d like to thank Paul for giving me a great opportunity to come to a brilliant football club. I’ve really enjoyed my experiences at Villa and I wish the management team, the players, the supporters and the club nothing but the best going forward.”
Villa said that Lambert will look to fill the position “as soon as is practically possible”. The manager said: “Roy came to me this morning and he informed me that, ultimately, the difficulty of combining both roles has prompted his decision, which I respect totally. In the brief period we have worked together he has been great in the role and I understand his reasons for leaving.”
The club’s chief executive, Tom Fox, said: “We thank Roy for his time at the club and we wish him the best with Ireland.
“Our focus now will be on working with Paul to identify the right person to work alongside him and to help us continue on our journey to return the club to its rightful place in the Premier League.”
