Personally I'm tired of the ongoing fascination with Roy Keane but there seems to be an endless appetite to discuss him so here's what I think of the 'Boy Roy.'
- He was a world class player and I greatly admired the drive and commitment which he exhibited in each and every match.
- The unforgivable black stain hanging over Keano's playing days is the way he ended Alfie Haaland's career with a vicious and pre-meditated challenge, showing no remorse subsequently. Let us not forget that his grievance towards Haaland stemmed from when Keane did his cruciate while committing a bad foul on Haaland. Haaland's actions in standing over the stricken Keane and goading him were despicable but, in both instances Keane was the aggressor, and his 'eye for an eye' excuse is nonsense.
- Regarding Saipan (deep breath here) and the ensuing civil war, I think that Keane was wrong. The question as to whether he walked or was pushed is mute. He threatened to walk but was convinced to stay, then he engineered the situation whereby he would be sent home and, on his return to Ireland, played a game with the Irish media and public by teasing everybody into the possibility that he might go back again to the World Cup. The bottom line is that he let us down.
- As a new manager he did a terrific job in getting Sunderland from the foot of the Championship into the Premier League and keeping them there for a season.
- I don't subscribe to the view that you can link Saipan and Sunderland and conclude that Keane now has a history of walking away but there is no doubt that at the first sign of criticism from fans and the media he was unable to deal with it. He spent a lot of money and did not buy quality players and his man management skills clearly left a lot to be desired.
3 comments:
Oh boy!
Let it be known first I'm not from Cork.
In response to each point.
1. Agreed. One of the greatest midfielders ever.
2. Keane's challenge on Haaland as Leeds player was not a bad foul. Haaland never apologised for goading Keane even when it seemed the incident might be the end of Keane's career. Also, Keane did not end Haaland's career. Keane kicked Haaland's right knee - Haaland's career ended because of a dodgy left knee (you'll even see the strapping on the left knee when the 'tackle' was made). I am sure Keane didn't care which knee he was kicking anyway - but he did not end Haaland's career.
3. How did Keane 'engineer the situation whereby he would be sent home'? McCarthy called the team meeting. Why deal with Keane like that unless McCarthy wanted ot be the big man and dress down Keane in public - i.e. humiliate him. The preparations were shoddy and amateur and a Mickey Mouse player would put up with Mickey Mouse organisation. By saying he should have stayed we are saying that players should do their best while every one else involved can coast. Why would anything have changed if he went along with it and complained later?
4. Agreed
5. Keane made a lot of mistakes as a manager - just like all the other currently great managers in their first two seasons I'm sure. I'd say Wenger, Ferguson, Shankley, Busby were brutal too. The difference is that Keane makes his mistakes in full view. I think the next chairman to get him will get a good manager and an honest one.
Thats assuming that he does go to another club. Lets be honest, at the first sign of disapproval from the Sunderland fans he was gone. If he is so driven to succeed as some people say he was why has he left Sunderland in the lurch. Why did he let the conditions in Saipan get to him, he was playing for his country. If Arsene Wenger or Alex Ferguson walked away everytime they were booed or had public opinion against them where would those two clubs be now. For the money he has spent they shouldnt be in the position they are in.
If i had the chance to represent Ireland in any sport, never mind soccer i would play in my bare feet. He had the chance to play for his country at a world cup, and he through many different reasons that were not all his own doing threw it away.
Thanks Deckie and Gerry! And so it begins. By the way, I am from Cork and I don't think it's relevant to the debate. I know many Corkonians who felt badly let down by Keane in 2002. Regarding Haaland, I stand corrected. Through some quick research on the web, I have read that Haaland admitted that Keane's challenge did not end his career. Nonetheless, Keane did write in his book, 'I wanted to hurt him' and I think that deliberately setting out to injure a fellow player cannot be condoned. Regarding Saipan, I think that when Keane gave his (in)famous newspaper interview and followed it up by abusing his manager at a meeting, he knew he was going to be sent home. Perhaps he was trapped to some extent and there is no doubt that preparations were shoddy but could he not have toughed it out for the good of his country? And finally, to add more fuel to the fire, did he also not engineer his departure from Man Utd? By speaking the way he did on MUTV he knew that Ferguson would turf him out. - Aodh
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