ROY KEANE should be the next Ireland manager, claims former Premier League star Dietmar Hamann.
Current boss Stephen Kenny is expected to depart later this month after matches against the Netherlands and New Zealand.
Keane, 52, was assistant to Martin O'Neill between 2013 and 2018 – helping his country qualify for Euro 2016.
With Ireland having endured a dismal few years, Hamann reckons that the Manchester United legend could reinvigorate them.
Speaking to BoyleSports, the former Liverpool and Manchester City star said: "Roy Keane would be my first choice for the Ireland job!
"The national side doesn't have a sponsor for the senior team yet, and Roy would give them five or ten sponsors straight away!
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"I'm not saying that's the only reason they should consider Roy, because we all know he can manage at the highest level.
"He's a very well-respected man on and off the pitch. I'm not sure if he'll take the job, but people tell me he may.
"He'd be the first one I'd speak to. He'd be my choice."
Keane last coached four years ago, when he assisted O'Neill at Nottingham Forest.
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His last gig as a No1 was at Ipswich, who he managed between 2009 and 2011.
Prior to that, he won the Championship title with Sunderland in 2007.
Ireland have lost every game of this qualification campaign, barring two wins over lowly Gibraltar.
Hamann, 50, believes that fans deserve better.
He added: "Ireland have a few players in the Premier League and a lot of them play in the Championship.
"It's a good standard and they have two outstanding goalkeepers along with Evan Ferguson and others.
"I don't know who they go after, but I just hope they make a wise decision.
"When I said 'rock bottom', I meant how they had 40,000 against Greece and thousands left before the final whistle, whilst the remaining fans couldn't be bothered to boo the side!
"I hope the FAI don't take the fans for granted as they turned up every time Ireland played at home.
"Most of the time, they left disappointed. The fans deserve better."
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Ireland take on the Netherlands in Amsterdam this Saturday, with their opponents able to qualify with a win.
They will then play New Zealand in a Dublin friendly next Tuesday.
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