‘Don’t shout at me’: Paul Merson sends Roy Keane warning about Sunderland

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Paul Merson has warned Roy Keane that his success at Sunderland depends on how strong the dressing room is at the Stadium of Light, as he told Sky Sports (05/02/22 at 2:50 pm)

The former double-winner at Arsenal claimed that some players ‘roll their sleeves’ up at Keane’s no-nonsense style, whilst others will be like ‘don’t shout at me like that’.

As Keane showcased during his days as a trophy-laden player and in the studios as a TV pundit, he won’t mince his words when speaking about you.

It’s hard to think that he would change his forthright style if Sunderland were to offer him their vacant role.

But, one thing is for sure, the League One promotion hopefuls are thinking about it because they have interviewed the Premier League legend, as reported by Sky Sports.

Nonetheless, this is what Merson had to say about Keane possibly changing the TV studios for the dugout.

“Only time will tell,” said Merson. “For me, it’s how the players embrace him. If the players embrace him and they are up for a fight and up for honesty.

“Then I think they will be alright. I think he will be a great success there. It’s not him, it’s the players.

“Certain players roll their sleeves up and go ‘I will show you’. Then there are other players who go ‘oh, don’t shout at me like that’. That’s the problem.

“It depends what his dressing room is like. If his dressing room is a strong dressing room, then they will be a success. He will be a success and they will be a success. If his dressing room isn’t strong, then it will be hard work.”

Keane has been in the Sunderland dugout before which does help his cause if he is appointed.

But the problem the Irishman faces is that he hasn’t been a number one for ten years now.

During that period, he has been an assistant to Martin O’Neil at the Republic of Ireland and Nottingham Forest.

But it’s a different kettle of fish being the main man, with the Black Cats two points outside of the automatic picture in League One after their defeat to Doncaster on Saturday – their problem is that second-placed Wigan have played a staggering four games less.