Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.
Ultimately, my roles with Villa and Ireland and combining my commitment to these have become too much. It isn't fair to either Villa or Ireland, so I've made this decision.
The 43-year-old became number two to Paul Lambert at Villa Park back in July, but has struggled to combine his role with a similar position under Martin O’Neill with the Republic of Ireland national team.
Sitting in 16th place, Aston Villa are struggling in domestic campaigns this season, and Keane has decided to switch his focus on his role at assistant manager on the international scene. He said:
"Ultimately, my roles with Villa and Ireland and combining my commitment to these have become too much. It isn't fair to either Villa or Ireland, so I've made this decision.”
A club spokesman has stated he is now struggling to find time for his family and personal life, having previously managed Sunderland and Ipswich as a former midfielder for Manchester United.
Premier League manager Paul Lambert has stated the club will be filling the position as soon as practically possible, with a trip to Burnley looming on Saturday. He added:
"Roy came to me this morning and he informed me that, ultimately, the difficulty of combining both roles has prompted his decision, which I respect totally.”
"In the brief period we have worked together he has been great in the role and I understand his reasons for leaving."
The club’s CEO Tom Fox also commented on the departure, saying:
"We thank Roy for his time at the club and we wish him the best with Ireland.
"Our focus now will be on working with Paul to identify the right person to work alongside him and to help us continue on our journey to return the club to its rightful place in the Premier League."
Aston Villa have also faced Capital One Cup woes, having been knocked out by League One side Leyton Orient back in August.