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London - New Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane refuses to "promise miracles" but hopes to give the Birmingham club boss Paul Lambert every support to get the team back to winning ways, he said on Wednesday.
Former Manchester United midfielder Keane, who will combine his Villa role with his existing job as deputy to Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill, has been out of club football since being sacked as boss of Ipswich Town in January 2011.
Keane, who was also previously manager of Sunderland, said he had no problems in being an assistant.
"From my experience so far alongside Martin I am a bit more hands-on with the players, which I have enjoyed," he said.
"It is a different role with Villa but I can adapt and I think my experience as a manager will help because it is tough being a manager.
"Hopefully I will make Paul's job easier. Hopefully I am someone Paul can trust; (I can) talk to the players and staff.
"I have some good experience from my playing days -- some bad ones as well," added Keane, who played under two of English football's legendary managers in Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson during his spells at Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.
"I'll keep my job description pretty simple. I'm here to help the team and get results.
"I have some good experiences as a player and a manager and obviously he (Lambert) thinks I can bring something to the party.
"I am not promising miracles but hopefully an improvement."
Keane, who had been linked with the vacancy at Celtic after Neil Lennon stepped down as manager of the Glasgow giants, said the chance to combine both club and international football had been a key factor in his decision to join Villa.
"I have thought about it. I've had three years off, I should be ready," he explained.
"It was the whole package: that I know Paul, Villa is a top club, that I could continue working with the Irish team.
"You weigh all these things up and I kept coming up with the same conclusion.
Villa remain up for sale after US-based owner Randy Lerner said in May he wanted to cut his ties with the club after they finished 15th in the Premier League, just five points above the relegation places.
"They (Villa) have had a difficult two or three years but that is part of the challenge," Keane said. "I am aware the club is for sale but that did not put me off."
Meanwhile, Lambert insisted he'd have no problems working with Keane.
"I wouldn't bring in Roy for the sake of his name, I think he can bring something to the table and I'm looking forward to working with him," he said.
"He is a top guy, a real football person with great football knowledge.
"He will help me and is someone I will lean on as I will be able to trust him 100 percent but you have to be strong yourself."
