Don’t fret over Roy, says Craig

Celtic goalkeeper craig Gordon is the only player at the club who has worked under Roy Keane.

the irishman is one of the favourites to succeed Ronny Deila as manager at Parkhead, but Gordon has reassured his team-mates that his fiery reputation and combustible nature — which led to bust-ups with friends and foes alike — should not be a cause for concern.

Keane made the Scotland star Britain’s most expensive keeper when he paid Hearts £9million for him in 2007 and the 33-year-old insists that no one has anything to fear from the irishman… as long as they toe the line.

the former celtic midfielder turned down the job following Neil lennon’s resignation two years ago, but Gordon is convinced he would not decline the opportunity a second time.

‘Obviously, i’ve worked with Roy in the past and i’m sure that, if he was offered the challenge of leading the club, he would accept it,’ said Gordon.

‘He’s a hard-but-fair manager and he did a great job to keep Sunderland in the Premier league in that first season after winning promotion, and probably didn’t get the credit he deserved for keeping a pretty average team up.

‘Off the park, he likes things to be organised and he demands that from all the staff. He expects certain standards to be maintained and, if they aren’t, he’ll certainly let you know about it.

‘But if you’re giving 100 per cent, then he’s going to be all right with you. He’s a good manager in that sense.’

Keane doesn’t always part company on good terms with those he has worked with but that didn’t apply to Gordon.

‘it was perfectly fine,’ he said. ‘it was about halfway through the second season that he left. i had been injured with a broken ankle for a few months before that and hadn’t been playing.

‘He was trying to bring me back and i actually played in his last game before he left Sunderland, but i injured the ankle in the same game, so it wasn’t a great day for either of us.’

Keane’s achievements as a player with Manchester United, allied to his fearsome reputation, means that he would be guaranteed the respect of the players before a ball is kicked.

‘He’ll absolutely get that — from everybody — for what he’s done as a player and as a manager,’ said Gordon.

‘i know there are people who will say he failed at Sunderland and at ipswich. But he got Sunderland into the Premier league and kept them there and i don’t think he got the credit he deserved, regardless of what happened later.

‘certainly, at Sunderland, it was a great achievement just to stay up.’

Keane will be heading to the european championships with the Republic of ireland as Martin O’Neill’s assistant but, with champions league qualifiers only two months away, Gordon is unsure if that would prove to be a problem for the celtic board.

‘Who knows?’ he said. ‘it’s not my place to tell anybody what to do in regard of when a manager should be appointed, or whether it’s this month or after the euros.

‘if you’re going down that route and it’s Roy Keane, then that becomes a problem. if it’s not him, maybe they could be in the job earlier than that.

‘Maybe he doesn’t even go to the euros. there are so many things in there. it’s impossible to say but i’m excited and ready for whoever that may be.

‘Regardless of who is appointed — Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes, Roy Keane — any of those guys are massive names.

‘But even if someone comes in outwith that, they are going to bring in good managerial experience and they will gain that instant respect.

‘it’s interesting to talk about and speculate about who is coming in, and i’m just looking forward to whoever it is and getting started again.’