Reggie Lambe must impress one of football's most controversial figures in order to break into Ipswich Town's first team – with the Championship club appointing Roy Keane as their new manager.

Lambe still expects to sign the professional contract he was offered by ex-Ipswich boss Jim Magilton despite yesterday's changing of the guard at Portman Road.

Former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland midfielder Keane, who quit as manager of Premier League strugglers Sunderland in December, takes over two matches from the end of the season with the East Anglian side in ninth place and unable to qualify for the promotion play-offs.

"It's exciting that Roy Keane is Ipswich's new manager," Lambe told The Royal Gazette. "Obviously he was a great player but I didn't really manage to see him play much. He wasn't my favourite player or anything when I was growing up.

"To be honest it didn't really matter to me who Ipswich appointed. It's a shame to see Jim Magilton leave the club, as he was the manager who offered me a contract.

"I still expect to sign for Ipswich later in the summer and my situation shouldn't change despite a new manager being appointed."

New manager Keane said he realised three or four weeks after leaving Sunderland that he wanted to get back into management.

"If I wasn't up for the challenge I would be at home today walking the dogs, and the dogs needed a break," Keane told a news conference.

"I thought if the right challenge came up I was ready for it. It was a gut feeling because of the ambition of the club, the history of the club. I am lucky to get this opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it.

"The club's owner and chief executive impressed upon me their total focus on achieving (Premier League status) at the earliest opportunity and I can't wait to get started."

Lambe, 18, has enjoyed an outstanding season at both the youth and reserve levels for the Tractor Boys and joined the club as an academy scholar two years ago after being spotted by their scouts while playing for Bermuda's youth team in Holland.

He will return to the Island next month and plans to play for the national under-23 team during their series of matches against Bermuda Hogges' USL-D2 opposition.