Michael Dawson backs Robbie Keane to be new Tottenham manager – here’s why it won’t happen
Michael Dawson believes Robbie Keane is the most capable candidate to succeed Thomas Frank.
Frank was sacked on Wednesday after a dismal run of form that saw several embarrassing defeats at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham lost 2-1 to Newcastle United on Tuesday, and although Frank was convinced that he would remain in the job, he was swiftly relieved of his duties.
In the aftermath of the Dane’s dismissal, former Spurs defender Michael Dawson has backed Ferencvaros manager Keane to be appointed as their next head coach.
But that looks to be unlikely for several reasons.
Michael Dawson speaks highly of Robbie Keane
Keane is currently excelling at Hungarian side Ferencvaros and has them top of their league table after 20 matches.
Speaking live on Sky Sports News on 11 February, Dawson tipped the ex-Tottenham striker to be the ideal candidate, as he knows more about Spurs than anyone else.
He said: “For me, there is someone there in the making, someone who knows the club, can galvanise everyone and bring them in the right direction, and that is Keane.
“Why not give him the job on a permanent basis? They’ve gone for [Antonio] Conte, [Jose] Mourinho and Frank, and it hasn’t worked.”
| Stat | Keane |
| Games managed | 121 |
| Wins | 80 |
| Draws | 23 |
| Losses | 18 |
There are several reasons why ENIC won’t go through with this move, but Keane may not want to make the move himself.
Not only is the Irish manager in a title race with Ferencvaros, but his side are through to the knockout playoff rounds in the Europa League.
Mauricio Pochettino is linked with a return to Tottenham, although this could only happen in the summer once he has managed the USMNT at the World Cup.
Therefore, ENIC will most likely hire an interim manager until the end of the campaign, before lining up the Argentine as Frank’s long-term replacement.
And in that case, Keane definitely wouldn’t join as he’s building something special in Hungary this season, something he referred to when recently linked with the Celtic job.
Would Tottenham be a good fit for Keane?
He started his managerial career at Indian side ATK before moving to Maccabi Tel Aviv for the 2023-24 season and winning the league.
The 45-year-old then backed that up with another top-flight title win in May 2025 for Ferencvaros, and he is slowly building up his experience in different parts of the world before taking a big job.
Having spent the majority of his playing career at Tottenham, he is one of the few candidates who can truly understand what supporters expect from their team.
Spurs fans would have affection towards Keane, and there would be less pressure on him to bring instant success to N17.
He certainly has the potential to become a top-class manager, but despite being a good match for each other, it doesn’t look to be a feasible move for either party at this moment in time.