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Yorke in Keane's corner
Trinidad & Tobago superstar Dwight Yorke says Sunderland's manager Roy Keane deserves to be manager-of-the-year.
"To take a club from 23rd place in the table to automatic promotion, I don't care what anybody says, he has to be the manager of the year," Yorke, in his first year with the club, said.
"Very few people have got the kind of qualities that can turn around a football club like that."
Sunderland gained promotion to the English Premiership Sunday, thanks to Keane who took over at the north-east England club with them languishing at the bottom of the tables at the start of the season.
Keane, in his first season as manager since quitting professional football in June last year, steered the club back to the English top flight just a year after they had been relegated.
GREAT SURPRISE
"I think the gaffer has surprised everybody at just how well he has done and how quickly he has done it," Yorke pointed out.
"Will he become a great manager? Well, he has got all the right ingredients and only time will tell. But he turned the club's fortunes round mid-season, changing the staff and the players while all the time playing games, and that is very difficult.
"He has the knack. He has the presence and he has the demeanour to do it. I think his reputation as a player helps too, because everyone wants to do well for him and if you don't, you won't play. It's as simple as that. The players have responded unbelievably well."
Keane made Yorke, with whom he had played at Manchester United, one of his first signings and then included fellow T&T internationals Stern John and Carlos Edwards during the January transfer window.
With one match left in the Championship season, Sunderland, currently on 85 points and just one point adrift of Birmingham City, can add further glory to their season by winning the League title.
They will, however, have to beat already relegated Luton and hope that Birmingham draw or lose at promotion-chasing Preston
Trinidad & Tobago superstar Dwight Yorke says Sunderland's manager Roy Keane deserves to be manager-of-the-year.
"To take a club from 23rd place in the table to automatic promotion, I don't care what anybody says, he has to be the manager of the year," Yorke, in his first year with the club, said.
"Very few people have got the kind of qualities that can turn around a football club like that."
Sunderland gained promotion to the English Premiership Sunday, thanks to Keane who took over at the north-east England club with them languishing at the bottom of the tables at the start of the season.
Keane, in his first season as manager since quitting professional football in June last year, steered the club back to the English top flight just a year after they had been relegated.
GREAT SURPRISE
"I think the gaffer has surprised everybody at just how well he has done and how quickly he has done it," Yorke pointed out.
"Will he become a great manager? Well, he has got all the right ingredients and only time will tell. But he turned the club's fortunes round mid-season, changing the staff and the players while all the time playing games, and that is very difficult.
"He has the knack. He has the presence and he has the demeanour to do it. I think his reputation as a player helps too, because everyone wants to do well for him and if you don't, you won't play. It's as simple as that. The players have responded unbelievably well."
Keane made Yorke, with whom he had played at Manchester United, one of his first signings and then included fellow T&T internationals Stern John and Carlos Edwards during the January transfer window.
With one match left in the Championship season, Sunderland, currently on 85 points and just one point adrift of Birmingham City, can add further glory to their season by winning the League title.
They will, however, have to beat already relegated Luton and hope that Birmingham draw or lose at promotion-chasing Preston
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