Sunderland stars Keane to kick the boss - because he can't kick back!

Sunderland begin pre-season training today and goalkeeper Craig Gordon has revealed how his team-mates relish getting stuck into their manager.

And the best bit is that hard-man Keane cannot retaliate as he would have in the past, because they know he will not risk injuring any of his highly-paid Stadium of Light stars.

Pitching in: But when Keane plays nowadays, his shins suffer

Gordon told the Mirror: 'Most of the time the manager tends to stand back and watch training, but now and again he takes part in the five-a-sides.

'He tackles and people put tackles in on him because they see it as a chance to kick the manager - and you don't get that chance very often!

'It's a game of football and if the ball is there to be won, you go for it, no matter who you're tackling. I'm sure the manager would not expect anything else from the players.

'Although you can see he's still a great player, he doesn't tackle as hard because I don't think he would want to injure one of his own players.'

None of the Sunderland players would dare tackle him the former Manchester United captain off the pitch and Gordon added: 'It's not a fear of him, but I'd say there is an aura about him.

'When he walks into a room, everyone sits up. And when he speaks, you listen. When he tells you he wants something done a particular way, you know you had better do it that way.

'He does tend to keep a bit of distance from the players and he's very much the manager but he has 100 per cent respect from every player because of what he has achieved in his career.

'We'll be training and when the manager comes to the touchline, everyone tries to raise their performance that extra bit to impress him.'