Robbie Keane closing in on Hungarian domestic double

May 14, 2025

Republic of Ireland legend Robbie Keane is quietly building his reputation as a top manager as he targets a Hungarian domestic double.

Former Leeds striker Keane took charge of Hungarian side Ferencvaros at the beginning of the year with his side second. A 3-2 victory at the weekend maintained their three point lead at the top with two games left to play.

He has won eight of his 15 league games in charge, losing just twice and was recently awarded the Manager of the Month for April. That included four consecutive league victories, including a 7-0 thrashing.

Keane’s side have also booked their spot in the domestic cup final as they take on Paks on Wednesday. If he achieves success in both competitions, the 44-year-old will add to the growing collection of trophies since becoming a manager.

He won the domestic cup and league title with Israeli giants Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2024 in his first season in charge. However, he decided to leave the club following the escalation of the war with Palestine.

Keane’s managerial career began when he was appointed player-manager of Greek side ATK for three games. He then plied his trade as an assistant with Mick McCarthy at the Republic of Ireland and at Middlesbrough.

He later joined the coaching staff at Leeds in the Premier League under Sam Allardyce, however, they both left following their relegation to the Championship in 2023.

Keane enjoyed a highly decorated career as a player and remains Republic of Ireland’s record goalscorer and cap holder.

In March, he was asked whether he had ambitions to return to England’s top flight to become a manager. He told Sky Sports: “I never put anything on it because I know what I have to do.

“I’m taking a different route from everybody else. I’m not scared to go abroad and learn the trade with two top teams. Eventually, of course, at some stage, but I’m really enjoying it at the moment.

“It’s a massive club, great people that work there. Fans are great, so all I have to do is keep winning, keep enjoying myself and who knows what will happen in the future.”

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