More Success Overseas For Robbie

Robbie Keane’s reputation continues to soar after he led Ferencvaros to a tense extra-time victory in the Hungarian Cup final.

Wolves’ 1972 UEFA Cup semi-final opponents underlined their standing as the domestic competition’s premier force by edging to a 1-0 weekend win over Zalaegerszegi. 

It meant they narrowly succeeded on a stage on which they were left disappointed 12 months ago by a defeat on penalties in the final against Paks.

That setback came at the end of the Irishman’s first season in charge in Budapest but redemption has soon come.

Success was hard to secure in front of a near-50,000 crowd at the Puskas Arena, though, with the club lying fifth in the country’s top flight taking the title contenders deep into the added period before finally being prised open.

The victory continues the 45-year-old Irishman’s remarkable run of success in the dug-out. In charge of a backroom team also containing Mike Stowell, he masterminded a league and cup double two seasons ago with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel and then oversaw Ferencvaros’s surge to the league title 12 months ago.

He has the chance of making this another double-winning season, too, as his side go into the final round of league games next weekend sitting one point behind leaders Gyor.

Despite not having their fate in their own hands, their chances are lifted by the fact they end with a home game – coincidentally against their cup final opponents, Zalaegerszegi – while their rivals are away, to Kisvarda.

In the Ferencvaros squad these days is Republic of Ireland international Callum O’Dowda, the former Oxford, Bristol City and Cardiff man that the one-time Wolves starlet signed last year.

Inevitably, considering his success on foreign fields and his willingness to spend so much time away from home to broaden his education in the role, Keane is being linked with various jobs.

He was touted as a candidate for Tottenham before the long-term appointment of Roberto De Zerbi and is also seen as a possible contender at another of his former clubs, Celtic, when Martin O’Neill steps aside.

He may have been appointed by now by Spurs on a short-term basis but is said to have made it clear he wouldn’t consider anything other than a permanent job there.