Martin O'Neill backs Roy Keane in Villa role

Former Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill today insisted Roy Keane's role with the claret and blues will improve the Irishman as a coach.

The Republic of Ireland boss gave his blessing for Keane to move to Villa as Paul Lambert's assistant this month.

He will combine the role with his job as No 2 to O'Neill, received assurances from Lambert over the job-share and believes Keane will only benefit from it.

O'Neill said: "My view is, if it doesn't impinge on the job here with Ireland, then in actual fact it will end up being good for him.

"I know that if we couldn't have made it work, he wouldn't have taken the job in the first place.

"If his commitments to us – both on the commercial side and certainly from my viewpoint in terms of the time working with players – is not impinged at all then I'm happy for it to go ahead.

"Villa have agreed to give him all that time with us and therefore I don't really have a problem with it. I spoke with Paul to see how he felt it was going to work.

"He said that he gives the players, the senior players who are not involved at international level, a lot of time off anyway during that time (international breaks).

"Even if they did come back for a day or two, they could cope with that."