Roy? Keen?

Roy Keane and ITV have announced a seemingly amicable divorce, thought privately the channel's bosses must be miffed that they've lost their biggest draw panelwise on the verge of the FIFA World Cup.

“Roy has been a tremendous part of our pundit team in recent years, but we fully understand his decision to concentrate wholly on his coaching,” an ITV spokesperson said. “We wish him every success for the future.”

The move has given credence to reports that Aston Villa have lined-up Keane as new assistant to Paul Lambert. Lambert's right-hand men throughout his managerial career, Ian Culverhouse and Gary Karsa have been dismissed.

Given the current inertia at Villa Park brought about Randy Lerner's announcement to sell, the prospect of such a high profile appointment took many by surprise. Roy Keane would not be a universally popular appointment, given his abrasive personality and managerial track record. Should he secure the role it will undoubtedly split fans' opinion.

Keane lurched into management in 2006 at a Sunderland languishing in the relegation zone when he took the job on.  Backed by his board he revamped the playing staff, guiding the club to the Championship title at the first attempt.

He kept them in the Premier League the following season but quickly seemed to lose the dressing room. Players were quoted as saying that he “ruled by fear” and one anecdote goes that when three players were late for the team bus to an away match he just left them behind.

He walked away from the role in December 2008, with the club battling the drop. Players were said to have partied at news of his exit.

Things were possibly worse during his twenty month tenure at Ipswich Town

His first full season, 2009-10, he managed to go 16 games before managing a win, the worst start in Ipswich's history

They recovered to finish mid-table but the following season was just as disappointing and Keane was given the Spanish Archer with his team struggling at 19th in the Championship, seven losses in his last nine games sealing his fate.