Roy Keane urged to give up punditry and become a manager again as former Man Utd team-mate Jaap Stam admits he'd 'love' to become Irishman's assistant

Staam, who played alongside Keane at Old Trafford from 1998 to 2001, wants his ex-colleague to quit punditry and return to football management. Keane began his managerial journey at Sunderland in 2006, immediately after announcing his retirement from professional football. He managed the Black Cats for two seasons before heading to Ipswich Town in 2009, where he only last two years. The ex-United captain has also served as an assistant for the Republic of Ireland national team, but now works as a pundit and also features on podcasts like The Overlap, hosted by Gary Neville.

Speaking to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Champions League odds, Stam said: "I would love to see Roy Keane back in management and I’d love to be his assistant manager. I think he has the potential to be a great manager because he knows so much about the game.

"He can give a lot of individual advice to players and how they can improve, but the decision will be up to him. He is doing well in punditry at the moment. It’s a very different life in management, day and night, you have to be ready for the lifestyle and the club in question and the players. I’m sure he enjoys his current role but I’d love to see him in the dugout again, if he needs an assistant then I’ll be there."

Stam's first managerial job was at PEC Zwolle, where he took charge as a caretaker coach in 2009. Since then he has managed teams like Reading, Feyenoord and FC Cincinnati in MLS, and is currently in charge of Dutch lower-division side DOS Kampen.

Stam's current side will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Bennekom in a league clash. Meanwhile, Man Utd are due back in action against Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night.