ROY Keane is his own man, and that’s the way he likes it.

ROY Keane is his own man, and that’s the way he likes it.

While some managers build up their own support, from within the media or through agents, Keane has made a conscious decision to go down his own path at Ipswich Town.

It was the same at his previous club, Sunderland. And Keane won’t be changing his ways, even if the going gets tough at Portman Road.

“Some managers don’t get the extra bit of time that some other managers do, because of certain reputations, and having pals in certain areas,” explained Keane.

“Some managers have people working for them, putting out positive messages all the time.

“I didn’t come here with my own PR people, and I don’t have pals in the media. That’s why it’s important that I get the balance right myself.

“I had the same at Sunderland. Two weeks after I left Sunderland, everyone was got rid of. There was a whole change of scenery.

“Steve Bruce brought in his own PR people, from Wigan. Is that the road I want to go down, in terms of bringing in my own people? To give out messages that the team is great and I keep talking about the young players?

“I don’t phone up certain people saying – ‘can you look after me this week?’ – because I know managers who do that.

“I’ve been in managers’ offices where they have people from Sky (TV) in, having a drink, and other managers that have agents in with them. It’s a PR exercise. I don’t go down that road,” added Keane.

The Irishman has generally enjoyed good backing from the owner, Marcus Evans, and Town fans since his arrival at Portman Road in April of last year.

But he has been frustrated by certain negative reporting in the national media, with regards to his own position, especially last Autumn when his team were struggling to find a win, and again a fortnight ago following three league defeats on the bounce.

Keane compared his position of isolation with that of ex-Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill.

“I remember Martin O’Neill a year or two ago, making the point when he was on about whether he was going to stay at Villa,” said Keane.

“He was the only one touting himself, backing himself. Sometimes managers do that, because they won’t get help from certain people,

“But other managers, I don’t know if they’re doing a great job, but they just tend to go under the radar a little.

“Yet when I lose a few matches, it’s pressure, it’s jobs at stake, and you’ve got to turn it around.”