Ferguson Surprised By Roy Keane's Exit

Opinion is split on Roy Keane at present. The inexperienced boss breezed into the Stadium of Light and ruled Sunderland with an iron fist, but the results tailed off and he called it a day earlier this week.

Keane took bits and pieces of his management style from those he admired, such as Jose Mourinho and his former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, but perhaps he demanded too much, too soon from the Black Cats, raising the bar and quickly introducing impossible standards.

Fergie, for his part, think's that his former pupil did a "decent" job in the north east, although he can't hazard a guess as to when, or if, the bearded maestro will return to the game.

Shocked by Keano's sudden departure, he said: "I am surprised.

"Trying to cut through rumour and fact in football today is difficult, of course. You are never quite sure what has happened and the rumour mill is operating at 100 miles an hour.

"Roy was a great player here and it is a pity. We wish him well.

"Will he return? It is difficult to say. He is an incredibly controversial character. Every week he always had something to say about the game and he was the same as a player.

"He is such an interesting character and did a decent job up there."

Interestingly, now Roy-less Sunderland visit Old Trafford on Saturday.

--Greg Ptolomey, Goal.com