Roy Keane leaves Aston Villa after about six months as assistant manager

Roy Keane has stepped down from his role at Aston Villa where he worked under Paul Lambert combined with his assistant manager role at Republic of Ireland.

The former Manchester United midfielder who joined Villa in Jul claimed he wants to concentrate more on the Ireland job.

''Ultimately, my roles with Villa and Ireland and combining my commitment to these have become too much,'' Keane said.

''It isn't fair to either Villa or Ireland, so I’ve made this decision.

''I’d like to thank Paul for giving me a great opportunity to come to a brilliant football club, I’ve really enjoyed my experiences at Villa and I wish the management team, the players, the supporters and the Club nothing but the best going forward.''

Lambert thanked Keane for his impact at the club and made it clear that he completely respects his decision to quit.