| Keane’s light is shining
 By
David Silver
Roy Keane’s Sunderland revolution suffered its first blip on Saturday
when the Black Cats were held to a disappointing draw at home to Leicester.
It needed an equaliser from debutant substitute Micheal Hysen to rescue
a point for the Stadium of Light outfit.
Keane maintained his cool throughout the match and showed that he may
have the most vital quality of all in a successful manager - luck - when
Hysen scored with his first touch of the match.
The Corkman has guided Sunderland away from the foot of the Championship
and into the top half of the league thanks to three wins and a draw in
his first five matches.
Keane is much more composed in the dugout than he was on the pitch and
when his side concede a goal his reaction is to consult with his coaches
and shout encouragingly to his players.
With Niall Quinn as chairman and Keane in the dugout it’s not surprising
that the Irish influence spreads onto the pitch at the Stadium of Light.
The most impressive performance of Keane’s reign came in the 3-0
defeat of Leeds at Elland Road - a match which set a modern League record
for having five Republic of Ireland players on one team.
The three goalscorers - Graham Kavanagh, Steven Elliot and Liam Miller
are all part of Steve Staunton’s international squad.
Speaking of the excellent start he has made to his management career Keane
said: “Everything about this football club is being changed. The
potential is there for Sunderland to be massive.
“We have improved the quality of the players at the club and they
have responded well. The fans here have always been magnificent and play
a big part in our success.”
It’s early days yet but things are moving in the right direction
and hopefully that can continue.”
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