Ex-Coventry City striker could be ideal Mark Robins replacement at the CBS Arena | OneFootball

Robbie Keane has been linked with the vacant manager position at Coventry City, but would this be a good fit?

The vacant manager's position at Coventry City is among the hottest topics in the EFL, following the surprise departure of Mark Robins this month. With plenty of high-profile names being murmured, the ideal candidate could be a familiar face, Irish goalscoring legend Robbie Keane.

The retired striker, despite spending just one season at Coventry, will bring fond memories for supporters of the West Midlands club.

The 1999-2000 campaign was his first in the top flight, as the then-19-year-old scored twelve Premier League goals for the Sky Blues in a breakout year, before joining Inter Milan the following summer.

But it is more than just his history with the club that could make him the ideal fit as Doug King searches for a replacement.

Robbie Keane's managerial career so far

Keane, having dabbled with player management in 2018 with India's ATK close to his retirement, has mostly been making a name for himself as an assistant coach, with stints at the Republic of Ireland national team, Middlesbrough, and an incredibly short-lived spell at Leeds United.

In the summer of 2023, the all-time Irish top-goalscorer made a surprise move to Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv as he pushed to establish himself in first-team management.

Keane, with the help of compatriot Rory Delap, led MTA to a first title in four years, with the capital club winning the league by a sizable eleven points.

While the league title was a notable achievement in his first full season as coach, his exploits in the Europa Conference League were arguably more impressive.

Keane navigated the Yellows through three qualifying rounds, undefeated, in order to reach the group stage of the competition. They would go on to top a difficult group that featured Belgian powerhouses Gent.

They were beaten by eventual competition winners Olympiacos in extra-time in the round of 16, despite having won the away leg 4-1. It was a two-legged result that was simultaneously frustrating and commendable.

Keane left Tel Aviv shortly after the season's conclusion and outlined his pride at what had been achieved on the pitch in a short period.

"I am very proud of everything we achieved together as a team and especially proud of the hard work and the dedication that led to winning the championship and the Toto Cup," he stated.

The tactics Coventry fans might expect from Robbie Keane

According to an in-depth report from TFA, Robbie Keane’s tactical approach at Maccabi Tel Aviv was centered on a fluid, possession-based 4-3-3 formation. While we have no record of him managing a team lower down the table, as Coventry would be from the offset, Keane emphasises building from the back, encouraging his team to play out from the goalkeeper and maintain control.

This approach could be perfect for the Sky Blues, as despite underwhelming results this campaign, their backline and midfield reflect strong underlying numbers regarding turning a defense into attack. Luis Binks, for example, sits ninth in the league for progressive carry distance, representing confidence among centre-halves to develop the ball.

Considering his playing days, Keane is unsurprisingly reliant on his centre-forward, with attacks almost always attempting to find a target man. Eran Zahavi scored 39 of Maccabi's goals last season, almost a third of the 124 scored squad-wide. This will be music to the ears of Haji Wright, who is collecting a similar lion's share this campaign, scoring seven of Cov's 20 goals thus far.

Keane values width. His wingers and full-backs typically stretch the field and operate in wide channels. This width enables full-backs and midfielders to join attacks, creating overloads and allowing crosses.

With this in mind, the tools at Coventry's disposal also bear theoretically fruitful, as the side currently boast some of the most persistent crossers in the league. Right-back Milan van Ewijk has recorded nine crosses into the penalty area (joint ninth league highest) while Jack Rudoni has recorded 113 crosses total, second only to Luton's Alfie Doughty.

A most concerning pointer for fans of the West Midlands side is Keane's tendency to deploy a high line, which can leave his side vulnerable to counterattacks. This appears to be an area he is still refining.

Overall, Keane’s strategy has led to high possession rates and attacking prowess, but again, his philosophy is entirely anecdotal until we see it on these shores.

Robbie Keane could be the ideal candidate for Coventry

While Keane is available at present if he is in the running, it would appear his main competitor for the job is fellow Premier League goalscoring great Frank Lampard.

Keane has a much shorter and more obscure managerial CV than Lampard, but would likely command a shorter fee.

The appointment would be an interesting risk, the type of which we have seen come extremely good, and bad, in equal measure.

What the former Tottenham man does boast is a spotless record, and unlike Lampard, has yet to provide evidence of failure as a first-team coach.

His tactical preferences, as stated above, seem to be well aligned with the tools at Coventry's disposal.

Above all, the induction of a former player will always put smiles on the faces of fans, bringing good times back to supporters still mourning the loss of their beloved gaffer of seven years.

Robbie Keane could be an apt replacement for the Sky Blues, offering him a chance to validate his managerial credentials and bringing a bright, up-and-coming coach to the CBS arena could be a move that suits all parties.