ASTON Villa manager Paul Lambert believes that his link-up with former Celtic midfielder Roy Keane is a match made in heaven.

Former Scotland and Parkhead midfielder Lambert raised eyebrows when he brought in Keane as his No.2 this summer.

But the duo have struck it off immediately and Keane has also made a positive impact on the squad at their Texas training camp.

Lambert said: "I think it is great for the club to have somebody like Roy here.

"I think he had been out of the game since he left Ipswich three years ago.

"I think somebody with that knowledge from what he has seen in his career knows what it takes to be a winner at the highest level of the game.

"If you are out of the game for that length of time, some people may forget what you are really doing.

"I know that he did ITV and he was really good at it and he's really liked being involved with Ireland.

"It was something in my head that I thought I'm going to try and do.

"The mutual respect thing is there and I wanted someone who knew what it was like to win at the highest level.

"We are both midfielders but you have still got to have an open eye on every aspect of the pitch whether it's strikers, midfielders, defenders of goalkeepers.

"We pretty much think alike in a lot of respects."

Villa defender Jores Okore has revealed that Keane has had a positive impact.

The Danish international said: "Roy has been good. He has been a great acquisition. He has been talking to everyone and giving advice to everyone. I am really glad he's here. I think it's going to be great with him here.

"He's been through a lot in his career. He's played in a lot of big games just like the gaffer.

"They both know what football is all about. With Roy getting in there and doing the training we are going to see how that affects us.

"Now it is the start. We need to get to know him and he needs to get to know us as players and people.

"He is talking to everybody and hopefully it is going to be really great.

"He has been the captain of Manchester United for a long time. He is a leader so he knows what to do to motivate us and he knows the things to say for us to go out there and perform.

"Hopefully he can bring something extra to the table and really get us to perform at a higher level.

"He has got a lot of experience, he has been a coach and a manager so we are going to see what he can bring. I think he is going to bring a lot of good things."