ROBBIE KEANE reckons Troy Parrott is special — because he is just like him.
Ireland’s record goalscorer got a first-hand look at the AZ Alkmaar striker in his first competitive victory as Ferencvaros boss — a 4-3 Europa League win over the Dutch outfit on Thursday night that booked their place in the last-16 play-off round.
The pair also share a link through their Spurs connection[/caption]
The Hungarian hosts raced into a 3-0 before Parrott came on to inspire a fightback, scoring a stunner for AZ’s second and helping set up their third.
Keane is all too familiar with Parrott’s quality having worked with his fellow Dubliner when the Tallaght man was Mick McCarthy’s Ireland assistant.
And he has kept a close eye on Parrott since then for Ireland and through his Tottenham connections.
He said: “I think he has something different, he’s clever, he’s difficult to play against because he can go in behind and he can come short. In ways, he’s very similar to me.
“The two of us weren’t the quickest but we’re sharp over ten, 15 yards. And then you see how his brain works on the football pitch.”
But it was the performance of his own side that pleased Keane most, who was joined in the dugout by assistant and former Boys in Green ace Rory Delap.
The duo worked together at Maccabi Tel Aviv and Thursday was their first game in front of the noisy Ferencvaros faithful.
Keane — who replaced Pascal Jansen in Budapest — says he is committed to playing “exciting” football at the 35-time Hungarian champions.
And while he says it will take time for his players to fully grasp what he wants, a four-goal show is a good start — especially after defeat to a strong Eintracht Frankfurt side last week.
The ex-Spurs striker said: “If I’m being honest, I said a couple of weeks ago that it might take four weeks but I was pleased with Thursday because I didn’t think they’d get it as quick.
“There’s still a learning period for the lads.
“You have to understand from their point of view, they’ve had three managers in one year I think. Every manager was different.
“The manager before me was different from how I want to play.
“You see how I want to play and the way I played previous in terms of intensity and getting goals.
“I thought it was going to be another maybe week or so.
“I’m not saying they have it yet but they’re starting to understand it.
“I think once you understand it, it becomes second nature and it will be just normal.”
EXTRA EDGE
Keane was blown away by the home support too.
He purred: “It was fantastic, they were singing the whole game, even when we conceded in the last few minutes.
“They were still pushing the team, pushing the players.
“I imagine we can try and make this place a fortress because you’ve got the fans, they are certainly very, very loud.”
Ferencvaros will play Czechs Viktoria Plzen in their knockout play-off.
Speaking before yesterday’s draw, Keane said: “I don’t care who we play against. Most teams are going to be good teams.”
