Leazes1986 Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 From The Times April 17, 2008 Roy Keane joins the Kevin Keegan fan club George Caulkin To rework an old classic, Roy Keane loved it, loved it when Kevin Keegan returned to Newcastle United in January. Men of contrasting character who have peered at each other across the Manchester divide are re-energising rival clubs, but despite appearances they share a quality. Passion for their sport runs deep. As players, both wrung every drop of talent from themselves and while their approach to management may be different - Keegan plays cards with his team, Keane keeps his close to his chest - a similar yearning for excellence propels them. Away from Tyneside, Keegan's appointment after a three-year sabbatical prompted mockery, but Keane is thrilled that momentum has followed. Sunderland's visit to St James' Park on Sunday is unlikely to feature such niceties, but Keane and Keegan are philosophical allies. Neither has constrained ambitions. “I was absolutely delighted to see Kevin go there,” the Irishman said. “I think a lot of people are losing their love for the game. I watched a reserve game the other night and it was shocking - people were just going through the motions. “You shouldn't underestimate the importance of Kevin's enthusiasm. I love that. I bumped into Kevin once or twice when he lived in Manchester very briefly. Football can get very robotic, but that's not what you see with Kevin because he brings something different. I respect him. He's got a great enthusiasm and I think that's a vital component in any manager. “He loves the game and that's rubbing off on his players. Particularly over the last few weeks, they've been playing with great freedom and enjoying themselves and you have to enjoy being a footballer and the pressures of the game. That seems to have gone out of the game a bit. I watched them against Reading and they had a move in the second half - if another team had done it, people would have been waxing lyrical. “Everyone who's played under him speaks highly of him. Even the lads with England liked him. When they came back to Manchester United, they spoke highly of him. And I admired the way he handled the England situation when it ended. Sometimes you have to walk away from situations rather than hanging on for big payoffs. I was delighted to see him back. It's brilliant for football and brilliant for the area.” Untarnished by old divisions, Keane feels no resentment towards Newcastle and believes them capable of challenging at the top of the Barclays Premier League. “You bet your life they are,” he said. “A few years ago they did under Kevin when they just missed out on the title. He's done it before, I'm sure he can do it again. That's why people enjoy listening to him - people plug into that enthusiasm.” Sunderland harbour similar aspirations and at the end of a demanding season there may never been a more opportune moment for North East football to flourish. Under Keane and Niall Quinn, Sunderland yearn for more than consolidation, Newcastle have a billionaire owner and a manager in tune with their soul while Middlesbrough are progressing under Gareth Southgate, the manager, and Steve Gibson, the chairman. “If any supporters have had hope over the last few years it is the ones around here and it's not quite happened yet,” Keane said. “It's tough for Sunderland and Newcastle to get to the level that Liverpool and Everton are at. It might be more than two years before we could be getting there. “Teams like Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough have been saying for a while that they can get to that level. It's great having that fan base and it gives you a chance, but I've said it before, you need big, big, big money. Big boys' stuff. “We've got so much hard work to do at this club, it's unbelievable. We've barely scratched the surface. First of all we want to get to the next tier with the Blackburn Rovers of this world. Arsenal, Liverpool, United are on a different planet.” Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza ladra Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Pisses me off when he's not throughly despicable. Which is probably what he was trying to do. Asshole. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Bow to your master Roy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrette Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Good man for saying that tbh. /tinhat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chizzletooth Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Fair play. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nufc_geordie Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Aye good on him. He only really ever had a problem with Shearer but even then there was a mutual respect between the pair of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GAMMELL Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 He's still a c*nt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Keano has his faults, but I wouldn't mind seeing him manage our club one day. I think he's got what it takes. His words about KK sounded genuine, and he's right - Keegan does bring passion to what he does and that means a lot. There are two 'buts' though. Passion can be vulnerable during the difficult times, and there are also occasions when you need to step back and look at things with a cool head. Let's hope that Keegan has learned to pace himself a bit and / or he has got people around him who can help with the things he's not so good at. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BONTEMPI Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 He still a doggie lipstick gobbler! This changes nothing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie Boot Boy Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I like Roy Keane. There I've said it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decky Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 The Mackems will be spewing into their cornflakes this morning reading that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCormick Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Hated him as a player (cuntish temper and a put on hard-man persona, add to that he played for manyoo) but i must say he's impressed me as a manager. He's often spot-on about what he says and seems very cool under pressure. Unlike our mutant friends from the scummy banks of the wear, lets not drink from the bitter cup and lets give him credit where it's due. No doubt the mackems will have lost a lot of love for 'keano' after those unheard-of compliments anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 The Mackems will be spewing into their cornflakes this morning reading that Or their Sugar Puffs... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkhead Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 it'd be nice if Keegan responds to that with something like "yeah, but he wanks his dog you know" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrenBartonCentrePartin Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 The Mackems will be spewing into their cornflakes this morning reading that it said that article was from the Times, not the Star. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 As much as i hate him he's anotehr manager that's good for the game. Good honest approach to his management. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Logic Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I like Roy Keane. There I've said it. I like him too, it was easy to dislike him as a player when playing for the opposition but that's all changed now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Talks a lot of sense tbf. Don't hate him but I wouldn't go as far as to say I like the bloke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I like Roy Keane. There I've said it. I like him too, it was easy to dislike him as a player when playing for the opposition but that's all changed now. Yes because now he's the manager of the mackems that makes him really hard to hate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilko Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 it'd be nice if Keegan responds to that with something like "yeah, but he wanks his dog you know" came in here to say something similar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest float one in Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Keane went up in my estimation when I read his autobiography, written by Eamon Dunphy who is a right workyticket but has a decent writing style. Obviously he's not going to make Keane sound bad in the book, but most thngs in the book had the ring of honesty and truth about them. Keane seems to be a principled sort of bloke, who finds it difficult to deal with what he sees as unaccepltable levels of commitment and dedication from colleagues, and normally says what he thinks. Still don't like him but I've got respect for his dedication and commitment, if not other things like the Haaland incident. His treatment of refs as a player was deplorable - him and Taggart were made for eachother really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_69 Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 He was a proper footballer - a no-nonsense, 100% committed do-or-die winner. I hated the guy when he played for ManUre and i still think he's a cunt now but he's the sort of player football is missing. The game is being over-run with haircuts and diving puffs. I don't blame him for speaking out so often. He must be horrified at the sight of Ronaldo, Drogba, Diouf etc rolling around the floor like they're been shot, at the slightest touch from the opposition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Keane is an arsehole of a man who puts on a good act and has had a couple of fortuitious seasons in management. I'm glad he found Wearside. He has a management style akin to Souness who played with a similar determination and level of success to Keane. He will ultimately fail as a manager. Shame he didn't back Keegan when the rest of the country was putting the boot in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Keane is an arsehole of a man who puts on a good act and has had a couple of fortuitious seasons in management. I'm glad he found Wearside. He has a management style akin to Souness who played with a similar determination and level of success to Keane. He will ultimately fail as a manager. Shame he didn't back Keegan when the rest of the country was putting the boot in. What he has said now is what he said when KK arrived. Why would he say anything supportive when his clubs biggest rivals are going through a tough time and they were catching them up? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Keane is an arsehole of a man who puts on a good act and has had a couple of fortuitious seasons in management. I'm glad he found Wearside. He has a management style akin to Souness who played with a similar determination and level of success to Keane. He will ultimately fail as a manager. Shame he didn't back Keegan when the rest of the country was putting the boot in. What he has said now is what he said when KK arrived. Why would he say anything supportive when his clubs biggest rivals are going through a tough time and they were catching them up? Every manager in the league had a polite soundbite about Keegan when he was appointed. Keane just followed suit. Defend him if you wish but I think he's a phoney who will get get his comeuppance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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