Roy Keane has revealed he will quit his role as assistant manager at Aston Villa if it affects his work with the Republic of Ireland.

Keane was already assistant to Republic boss Martin O’Neill before he took his role working with Paul Lambert at Villa in summer. The former Sunderland and Ipswich boss insists he will put Ireland first if he feels he is unable to combine both roles.

“I feel that if I am taking my eye off the ball with Ireland, then I will leave Aston Villa,” said Keane.

“There is no doubt about that. I have told Paul Lambert that. But at the moment, it is OK. If we lose three or four on the spin (with Ireland), then I will leave Villa.”

Strootman to get salary increase

Roma intend to keep Kevin Strootman long term as yesterday it was revealed that the club bosses were ready to offer the Dutchman a new, improved contract.

Strootman, 24, is currently finalising his rehab from a long-term lay-off following cruciate ligament surgery last season.

Manchester United have been hunting for Strootman’s signature since summer but Roma made it clear they do not intend to sell.

The former PSV midfielder is earning €1.7m per season at Roma but Il Messagero reported his salary will increase significantly if he signs a new contract.

Strootman is likely to return on November 22 against Atalanta.

Schuster linked with Ghana job

Former Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster has been added to a short list of coaches to take over at the helm of Ghana’s national team after ex-Dutch international Patrick Kluivert pulled out of the process.

Ghana are this week interviewing four others to possibly take over the Black Stars after Kwesi Appiah was fired last month.

Among the other coaches to be interviewed are former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, Michel Pont, assistant coach for Switzerland at this year’s World Cup, former Italy midfielder Marco Tardelli and Spanish coach Juan Ignacio Martinez.

A date for a discussion with Schuster is still to be arranged.

Kondratiev quits

Belarus are looking for a new coach after Georgi Kondratiev left in the wake of his side’s Euro 2016 qualifying defeat to Slovakia.

Monday’s 3-1 loss in Borisov left Belarus with one point from their opening three Group C games and led the 54-year-old Kondratiev to step down from his post after three years in charge.

The Belarus FA confirmed in a statement on its official website that, following talks between Kondratiev and BFF head Sergei Rumas, it was mutually agreed to terminate the coach’s contract.

Belarus’s next group qualifier is against Spain, in Huelva, on November 15.

Maicon signs new Roma deal

Full-back Maicon has signed a one-year contract extension with Roma.

The 33-year-old Brazil international’s contract was due to expire at the end of the current Serie A season, but this week he agreed terms to stay until June 2016.

Both parties have the option of extending the deal a further year should they choose to do so.

Maicon joined Roma ahead of the 2013-14 Serie A campaign after spending the previous season with Manchester City. He made 28 Serie A appearances last season as Rudi Garcia’s side finished runners-up to Juventus.

Prior to his stint in England, he spent six successful years at Inter, where he won four successive league titles and the 2010 Champions League.

Dortmund’s Gyau out till January

United States and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Joe Gyau has been ruled out until January after scans revealed he needed surgery on a knee injury, US coach Juergen Klinsmann said.

Gyau, who broke into the national team in September, suffered the off-the-ball injury during Friday’s friendly international against Ecuador.

“It’s unfortunately not a little minor thing,” said Klinsmann.

“He is getting surgery back in Germany and he will be out probably until January.”

The Ecuador game was just Gyau’s second for the full national team following his debut in Prague against the Czech Republic on Sept. 3 and he made his first team debut for Borussia later in the month.

Bologna takeover

Once-mighty Bologna are close to being taken over by a group of investors headed by Canadian Joey Saputo and US lawyer Joe Tacopina, reports said.

“It’s done. It’s all done. We’ve signed the contract,” Tacopina was quoted as saying in Corriere di Bologna yesterday.

“On Wednesday (today), as planned, we will complete the deal... I’m happy for all of us.”

Saputo is the founder of MLS side Montreal Impact. They already have a connection with Bologna following the transfer of Marco Di Vaio who is expected to take up a non-playing role with the Serie B club when he retires at the end of the season.

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