Healy: Football will be a better place with Roy Keane back as a manager

Linfield boss David Healy has spoken of his admiration for his old Manchester United teammate Roy Keane and hopes to see the Corkman back in the managerial dugout soon.

Healy’s Linfield face Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League second qualifying round second leg in Norway this evening (5pm), with the Irish League side protecting a 1-0 first leg lead.

Healy enjoyed successs as a striker with Northern Ireland but his time at club level with United was limited to three first-team appearances but his interactions with Keane were all positive – indeed Keane later brought him to Sunderland when he was in charge there, and he also played under him at Ipswich.

“Roy was hugely popular at United,” Healy told the Guardian. “He was the best player there in terms of the drive he had. When he played well, they tended to win. They had superstars — [David] Beckham, [Jaap] Stam, [Paul] Scholes, you name it — but he was always the one leading and driving the standards relentlessly. I love Roy and we always had great banter, whether it was something about Northern Ireland versus the Republic, or Rangers against Celtic as he was a Celtic man and I grew up supporting Rangers.

“I idolised him as a younger player and still do when I watch him on TV analysing the game. As a young player you had to get your tickets from him as the captain. Some of the lads were fearful, but I had a respect and understanding, and I could speak to him. 

“I couldn’t say anything bad about him. As a manager, maybe I wasn’t the player he thought he’d signed, but I never dropped respect for him. I’m disappointed he hasn’t got another opportunity as he has so much to offer. Football will be a better place with him back as a manager.”