Roy Keane’s tenure as Town manager is close to coming to an end, according to widespread reports this morning. Alan Curbishley, spotted at Town’s recent games against Cardiff and at Watford, is said to be the man being lined up as his replacement.
According to one report, Keane’s relationship with owner Marcus Evans has broken down and they only communicate through chief executive Simon Clegg, a claim which may stem from the Town manager himself saying that he rarely talks to Evans last week: "We don’t speak on a week to week basis, which suits me, I’m not a great one for talking. It suits the owner, obviously I know he goes to the games and we have a chief executive here.”
The Town boss is also said to have fallen out with his squad, about whom he has been highly critical in recent weeks with a major turnaround in playing staff likely in the summer if Keane remains at Portman Road.
Regardless of the truth of today’s claim regarding Evans, the owner is unlikely to be happy with the current situation having given Keane significant funds to make a promotion push and with Town still far nearer the relegation places than the top six and currently showing few signs of pushing on.
Last season, Evans waited until Jim Magilton’s side had no chance of the play-offs before dismissing the Northern Irishman, giving Keane the final couple of games to access the existing squad. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Town owner and chairman chose to make a similar move this time around once the Blues’ Championship status was assured. One paper today claims he could make the decision even before that is the case.
Curbishley and his Charlton and West Ham assistant Mervyn Day were spotted watching the home win against Cardiff and the away defeat to Watford. Day was reportedly on scouting duty for Fulham, but the pair are now available for work after Curbishley won his case for constructive dismissal by West Ham and were strongly linked with Town this time last year.
Meanwhile, Keane's name continues to be linked with the Celtic manager's job vacated by Tony Mowbray on Thursday.
Elsewhere, reports in Ireland are linking the Blues with 21-year-old striker Ciarán Kilduff, who currently plays in the League of Ireland with UCD. The 6ft 3in tall former Shamrock Rovers trainee is rated as one of the top youngsters playing in Ireland at present.