Mourinho's friend Roy Keane steps down as Villa assistant

Thegoalmac can reveal that Roy Keane has stepped down as Aston Villa's assistant manager after less than five months in the role.


Hehe, atleast Mourinho will not get to shake his hand before the end of the match again, Lol. Continue for more details.

Keane, who is also Martin O'Neill's No.2 with the Republic of Ireland, had been working alongside Villa boss Lambert since July 1.

But the former Manchester United captain says taking on both jobs has proven to be too much of a strain.

"Ultimately, my roles with Villa and Ireland and combining my commitment to these have become too much," he said in a statement.

"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."

Lambert added: "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 Villa board were also quick to thank Keane for his efforts at Villa Park, with CEO Tom Fox adding: "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."