Look out doggies, Daddy's home!
Am I the only one who thinks that Roy of the Ragers bottled it at Sunderland? It's all very well raising up a set of misfits by their bootstraps and lifting them from 24th to promotion in the Championship, but to take a running jump just because of a bad trot seems to me to be a little bit, well, yeller. There's not been a more feeble exit since 'King Kev shuffled off his England coil back in 2000.
He may be a man of Cork but I thought he was made of steel, this fella. Let's face it, he's one of the scariest men ever to strap on a pair of boots. In fact the biggest surprise of his very brief managerial career was that he appeared on the touchline without someone having chained him to the dug-out on a leash and shouting 'No, Keano, down! Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttt! Bad dog, mad dog!'
No, Roy was the personification of calm and reassurance. He was almost Erikssonesque in his demeanour. It was hard to look at him and not think that the cool exterior was the sort that you might have if you were a top notch assassin but nevertheless it worked for him. Also his team played to the final whistle, nicking winners and equalisers here and there, and that's what kept them up last season.
Of course on the back of that, Quinny shoved a few mill down the back of Keano's trousers and said 'Go get who you want, son.' And so Roy looked around, saw how well Spurs had done post the Carling Cup victory and said to Levy 'I'll have the worst half of your team' and Ramos agreed. I'm not sure what's been the most horrible at the Stadium of Light this season - the form of Keane's buys or the barnet of the best of them, Cisse. One week, Djibril looked like he'd had a kip on the touchline just before the groundsman had marked out the pitch. Why do some players insists on having a hairdo they have to live up to?
Quinny's dead keen to assure the unwashed of Blunderland that Keane's made this decision in the best interests of the club. That'll be why you spent two days trying to get him to stay then Niall. I admire the big man's loyalty but I'm not sure Roy deserves it.
Keane's got form, after all. He's turning into football's runaway bride. The tizzy fit in Saipan in 2002, when he didn't like Yorkie Mick's methods and failed to compromise for the good of the team. 'Course the team did good without him, so maybe he was helping by getting himself sent home. Then there's the tirade against team-mates (and Queiroz, I think) when it was becoming clear that he was surplus to his Knightship's requirements. And just ask Alfe-Inge Haaland if you want to know whether Keane's a decent chappie or not.
Of course each time, Roy retreats to his Cheshire bolt-hole and you see him out with the dogs (and I swear to God them dogs are racing to stay a few yards ahead of him just in case a swinging right boot comes round to take them off at the knees.)
Some have told me that I shouldn't be surprised at all. He's been talking himself down in press conferences and that beard's made him look like he's sleeping in doorways at night. He looks like a cross between Action Man and Brian Blessed.
But I'm still not sure why he's scarpered, unless rumours that the dressing-room didn't like his style are true. It's definitely the case that no-one in Keane's career has ever told him to shut up and get on with it. He must be genuinely intimidating. I mean if he reads this and comes a-knocking on my door I'm sure I'd be Andy D'Urso-ing back into my front room faster than a Lehmann Brothers branch closure.
But you look at the relative successes of Kinnear and Redknapp this season and you can see that the old maxim about some players needing a kick up the backside and some needing an arm round the shoulder being very true. And them two blokes obviously have a bit of a knack with that. You get the impression with Keane - and with Ince too, probably - that if a kick up the backside doesn't work he reverts to a really hard kick up the backside and if that doesn't work he gets the electrodes out. Maybe footballers have become a prissier bunch since the days of his mentor Cloughie, but even Old Big 'Ead had a Peter Taylor to iron out the worst excesses. Who's Keane got? I doubt he'll ever have a number two who'll utter so much as a Sergeant Wilson-esque 'Do you think that's wise, sir?'
I'm not sure where Sunderland go from here. So much for the captain going down with the ship, Roy. They've got a Titanic job ahead of them and it'll probably call for a big man to take it on. So, Mackems, get used to it! Big Sam's back. Bring your telescopes to home matches so you can see the ball at all times and some pain-killers for the cricked necks.
They say Keane will be back, too, but I hope we don't hear anything from either of them for a bit - the manager or the cruddy band.
For a man who petrified every attacking midfielder in the country for 10 years, I still say it's a poor way to go. But for God's sake, don't anyone tell him where I live.
I'm Derek Robson. People call me Robbo. Legend has it I was raised in the furnace and smog of Teesside. Some might say I took the hard road. I like to tell folk I had trials for Middlesbrough, for Hartlepool and for burglary (not guilty). I've always loved sport. My job is to say it as I see it - whether it's in the bar of the Blue Bell or on this blog. You won't find me calling a spade a soil-redistribution implement.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~55~RS~)
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I suspect I was in about the same place as you Robbo. I thought the never-say-die attitude of Keane the player would at least compel him to finish the season.
This is a bit disappointing.
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Alf Inge Haaland's career-ending injury problems were not caused by Roy Keane.
Haaland's surgeon told Haaland that - which is why Haaland was unable to sue Keane for ending his career. Keane was not responsible.
However, saying that he did makes a better story- and why this myth still has legs and is constantly repeated even in more serious and respected articles than Robbo's.
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"Quinny's dead keen to assure the unwashed of Blunderland that Keane's made this decision in the best interests of the club."
I assume moronic insults are acceptable nowadays?
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he may not have caused the injury ... but he didn't help, did he?
it wasn't exactly a clean tackle from what I remember. In fact I seem to remember from the look in Keano's eyes - and his own words after the fact - that the ball was strictly secondary in his considerations when he went into that tackle.
such grit and determination ... wa'appen?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I'm not sure where Sunderland go from here. So much for the captain going down with the ship, Roy. They've got a Titanic job ahead of them and it'll probably call for a big man to take it on. So, Mackems, get used to it! Big Sam's back. Bring your telescopes to home matches so you can see the ball at all times and some pain-killers for the cricked necks.
give sam some credit robbo
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Didn't the new American owner criticise Keanes purchases in the transfer market? I thought this is one of the main reasons. Let's face it, it's only a matter of time when you get the boot if the owners slagging off your purchases.
Very funny about buying the crap half of the Spurs team, and Cisses hair - he really should look after it better like Ronaldo. Maybe use a touch of Soul Glow...
Nice read as ever Robbo.
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Lehman Brothers were an investment bank, not a retail bank. They didn't have branches.
If you're going to make a weak analogy at least get it right.
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OK i see your point, I too think perhaps keane should have stayed until the end of the season or at least until christmas! but the attitude of the Sunderland fans at home has been a disgrace. Just because your going through a bad time you dont start booing your team, you get behind them and lift them and support them to the death! they were'nt booing 2years ago, or even 5weeks ago against Newcastle! Keane doesnt like fickle fans (prawn sandwhiches anyone?) and he certainly wont hang around where he isnt wanted. I wish the man, the legend, all the best in the future! Management is a steep learning curve, consider that too!
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As Robbo points out, the manager Roy Keane appears to be the complete opposite of the former player Roy Keane.
At the first sign of criticism or trouble, he folds like cheap tent.
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Not many players manage to live up to the same standards they had whilst playing the game , managing a club as we all can see is a completley different matter.
He did well as a Manager regardless of comments from the American heads to get them were they are now. He' spent money like any manager in any club.
I admire Keane's honesty and respect his decision. Its his life we are talking about here.
This will affect both him , his future and the club he's left but in the end thats Football .
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Why is anyone remotely surprised?
The man is a total loose cannon. Deserting his teammates, badmouthing the fans, scowling at the world like Captain Black, this was always going to end in tears.
On the bright side, at least they'll probably now get a manager who won't blow a fortune on his mates and countrymen.
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brilliant robbo, jus plain brilliant. the part about kinnear/redknapp and keane/ince had me in splits..
vintage robbo !
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I assume moronic insults are acceptable nowadays?
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You're offended by moronic insults and you're reading THIS blog?
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I expect Keane's inspirational performances in the treble season were a sign of his weakness and of disloyalty. After all his performance against Juventus in the Champions League Semi final was nothing though eh? He just ran away then didn't he?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Who are these clowns who think that Keane has acted out of some loyalty to his principles? This is the guy who walked out on his country because he didn't get on with the manager, found the set-up unprofesssional etc - the same impeccable 'professional' who was sent off countless times and constantly looking for fights in the Manchester area when out on the ale. Get real. A nasty piece of work, like one of the other bloggers said. Out for himself. Sums it up perfectly.
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Walked out on his country? watch your mouth young man. roy keane is a patriot! go back, look up the facts of that story before you start running your mouth like that.
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also, have your ever played football? tempers flare on a football field, decisons and mistakes can be made out of passion and anger, spur of the moment! sure he got sent off lots of times, he laso captianed manchester to trophies lots of times. and that comment "fights...out on the ale" thats just plain low, alcoholism is a disease. you really do need to watch your mouth!
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Unwashed? Coming from a Smog Monster like yourself. Small club attitude from Robo.
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Roy Keane has a place in history. What have you got?
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so Roy looked around, saw how well Spurs had done post the Carling Cup victory and said to Levy 'I'll have the worst half of your team' and Ramos agreed
......brilliant
I think keane just has the attention span of a three year old. he got bored as his team werent winning anymore so left.
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woodenballs he walked out on his country that is a fact not a theory
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I don't know what you guys are talking about. Watch it again - Haaland definitely dived!
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Who is this the end of the world for ?
Sunderland will play next saturday whoever is in charge.
These things happen.
Unfortunatley so do irrational blogs.
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Surprised he didn't go on longer but he shot himself in the foot, he developed a 'fear of failure' in the back of the players minds, chopping and changing incessantly.
It seemed to me one bad game was enough to condemn you to the bench for the next few, which is never the way to go and only smashes morale.
Still, no where near a failure and did considerable well seeing it was his first job, coming straight in from his playing days.
Look forward to seeing him back in the premier league some day.
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The guy doesn't need the money, he doesn't need the aggro, he's probably put another 20 years on his life expectancy. Especially if he doesn't get back into management. Mick Mccarthy for Sunderland as Keane's Director of Football surely it wasn't that that caused it.
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Well, if his heart aint in it, what's the point?! I suppose he's proven he can manage a club, but Keane as always, will do whatever he wants whenever he wants, to satisfy himself.
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Sunderland have a top-half squad -
Cisse, Jones, Malbranque, Chimbonda, Richardson, these are top players. Diouf can't even get a game!!!
The guy's a sap. He walked away from his country and he's walked away from his club who are relying on some of this so-called "grit" and "steel". Honestly, He lets fans down consistantly.
Oh yeah, and if I go into a hospital, smash up a top surgeon, have no remorse whatsoever, then publish a piece saying that I had fully intended to end this guy's career and acheived it, I would expect prison for at least a decade, not a fine that my wage could more than cover and a slap on the wrists.
He's just cemented his status as "liability" this week. Well done to him.
Oh, good to see Luke Chadwick sneaking into that picture haha
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He who feels it, knows. Keane resigned because that was the best thing to do. You can't go around crticizing him citing irrelevant facts to the issue on hand. The man has done a great job at Sunderland and he deserves nothing but praise. He has demonstrated by his actions that he is principled - the business of footballing sucks generally and undue criticism from fans and the media does not help either.
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Robbo, I've been waiting for your comments on this. What took you so long? Keane's resignation even made the news over here in the colonies; big stuff during ice hockey season.
Was RK a failure? I don't think so. Some of his success was due to luck - the amazing run to take clear first in the Championship; the late winners last season to stay up (esp. against Boro). That luck has turned on him this season.
Is he a quitter? I don't think so either. I think he'd decided he'd lost the dressing room. Look at how Bolton came out sharper at half time. RK has quoted Strachan saying that if you explain something to a player two or three times and he still doesn't get it, you have to get rid of him. But what if you explain something to THE TEAM two or three times and they don't get it? Then the manager has to go, or so RK could reason. That is what Quinn means, that is "for the good of the team".
Let's look at the situation. Sunderland is a couple of good games from the top half of the table. However, the game against ManU is a throw-away. The new manager comes in next week, gets the win against WBA, gets the team relaxed and confident again (like they were against Newcastle and Boro). Then they can go on a bit of a run and get where they belong in the top half of the table.
Or RK could stick it out, try to change things in the dressing room (almost impossible to do) and make a decision after three or four more games. I think this is what Quinn was suggesting. But RK would point out that dropping a few more points leaves the Black Cats firmly at the bottom of the table. Not particularly good for the club.
Did the fans have a part? Not they way people think. RK has always expressed support and respect for the fans. He has pointed out that they deserve a winning club and the players should deliver that performance for the fans. If he has decided he is the reason the team isn't winning, then he should go so the fans can have the winning team they deserve.
On man management, I think RK was a victim of his reputation. The respect and fear his reputation generates, which worked so very well on the pitch, is a wall in the dressing room. He could be reaching out, putting an arm around a shoulder, and the player would be expecting a head-lock and knee in the nose.
A lot of special pleading, I know. I would love to have a cup of green tea with the man and find out the truth.
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You're offended by moronic insults and you're reading THIS blog?
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Who said I was offended?
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There are a great many unwashed in smogland too... and we'd deserve better than this skedaddling n all.
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Oh and for that bloke who was bigging up Roy for his '99 season... well, yes, of course, he was an inspiration THEN... doesn't alter the fact that on certain occasions when things aren't going his way there tends to be very few toys left in the Keano perambulator... and on this particular occasion the bloke's bottled it. No question.
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I cannot agree with any of this anti Keane piffle and no, I don't support Man United. If any of you have ever taken the time to read his book, you will understand that walking out of the World Cup was a culmination of an amateur mentality in the Irish set up for years.
Have you also conveniently forgotten that Haaland was initially involved in giving Keane the serious knee injury he got against Leeds? Many of the one dimensional comments suggest Keane acted as if the two did not have any history.
Roy Keane is a winner, a man with exacting standards. Unfortuantely he can't seem to cope with the fact that other players share such an outlook. As a player it was accepted for him to give his team mates a regular ear bashing, but I would say he has not really benefited from transferring that facet of his personality over to management.
I don't feel Keane is a quitter at all, but he is certainly intelligent and more importantly a realist. I think he genuinely felt he had done all he could with the group of players he had. He bought badly and knows it and did not know his best XI in the end either.
Resiging at this point is not definately not quitting. Conversely, it is an admirable act by a brave man who is too much of a winner to merely go through the motions like many managers would. He has acted in what he feels is the best interest for Sunderland and I admire him even more for that.
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truebluegunnergooner wrote:
Lehman Brothers were an investment bank, not a retail bank. They didn't have branches.
If you're going to make a weak analogy at least get it right.
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Having worked there in the past, US investment banks do have branches, they just tend to have one per European country. The main UK operating entity is usually named "London branch" or something similar.
If you're going to make "smart" comments instead of taking the blog in the spirit in which it was intended, at least get it right.
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Alf Inge Haaland's career-ending injury problems were not caused by Roy Keane.
Haaland's surgeon told Haaland that - which is why Haaland was unable to sue Keane for ending his career. Keane was not responsible.
However, saying that he did makes a better story- and why this myth still has legs and is constantly repeated even in more serious and respected articles than Robbo's.
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Are you insane? yes! Did everybody see the Horrendous Tackle By Keane on Haaland? Yes!Do you Personally know Haalands Surgeon? No!
As a Manchester City Season Card holder for many years i will tell you as a fact that Haaland's injury record was immense before that tackle, that tackle ended his career. Roy Keane ran away and hid after that, just as he has now
your just a red looking for excuses that wont help anybody...what your basically saying is that 'it rains....but thats not what gets us wet'....which as i'm sure you'll agree is mental
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I have to say I feel completely let down by Robbo. Whatever happen to the not stooping to the cheap shots. This is so cheap you couldn't give it away.
I have two questions, what if and it's a big IF, a guy realises he is not going to do any better than he is doing, ..........does he go before the transfer window, and give the club a chance of getting someone in.......or does he get all selfish and go after the transfer window and leave the club no chance.......what if this is what Keane has done? I would call it hourable, respectable, professional. Of course he could have bottled it,.......but as a player.. did he?
As for you remark about Saipan "The tizzy fit in Saipan in 2002, when he didn't like Yorkie Mick's methods and failed to compromise for the good of the team. 'Course the team did good without him, so maybe he was helping by doing a runner." it clearly shows you haven't the remotest idea of what the problem was or how bad most of the teams where in Saipan. Ireland lost to 9man Spain a game they would have surely won had Keane been there, the manager didn't notice...Spain were down to 9 men, and the problems raised by Keane were not actually about McCarthy, but McCarthy sent him home.......get your facts right.
I would wish after reading this that Keano was the type of person you portray but of course he isn't........
Mind you plenty of other people might want to find out where you live for writing such drivel.............
AS for 2008, TrashcanSinartra and his comment.........question who is insane, are you trying to tell me a) Keane is the only player to ever tackle an opponent on purpose and b) That you know better than everyone else including Mr haaland, that his career finished in a way he doesn't realise? Let me put it this way, it's not the fact that it rains that gets you wet, it's the stupidity to stand out in it.........which is clearly what you are doing.........
Robbo, I have enjoyed a lot of your blogs, but this character assination is cheap shots, low brow humour and I don't care if you like or hate or respect or disrespect the individual Roy Keane, this blog is shocking, in that somehow it is supposed to pass for humour and journalism...
Shame on you!
I would add shame on all those others who attribute such power to a young Irish lad from Cork, who went to England and was treated as .....a Paddy or Mick or whatever...... Roy Keane is a human as the rest of you, as is Paul Ince who I have criticised, I wonder still if it was Intelligence rather than fear which has made him walk away and I am sad that no journalist has been able to consider that possiblity.
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and just to answer you inital comment, clearly you are not the only one to think he has bottled it, all those who no nowt about honour and honesty think it too. How far have the decent standards of the beeb fallen...............shame on you!
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i agree with robbo that keane is a bottler who has quit when it got tough.
p.s. thanks for the mention of alfie haaland. i don't think keane should ever have been allowed back into football in any capacity after admitting he intended to break someone's leg and he succeeded.
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I think that there may be more to this than meets the eye. Keane left and was not pushed, hardly a typical way for a young manager to leave a club. The beard, the down beat statements from the last few press conferences...its been skirted around by a few people but could Keane may suffer from a depression illness or something? Its not polite to speculate but should a bit of sympathy be in order as this does not really add up to a normal manager leaving a club. Though to be fair, and I mean this as a compliment, Roy Keane is hardly someone whom you would describe as normal.
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More than being a never-say-die personality, Keane has always been a pragmatist, and I applaud him for leaving when he genuinely felt (and was probably right, the man's no fool) he could take the club no further. By the evidence of recent results and performances he had clearly lost the dressing room and didn't know how to regain it. That does not make him a bad manager; an inexperienced one perhaps but a bad manager would have delusionally clung on until he got the sack.
Rather than his resignation standing at odds with who he was as a player it makes perfect sense. Keane never understood players/managers without his determination and work ethic. He just doesn't know how to molly-coddle player's like Cisse and in that respect I agree with you Robbo. But with the right players under him, and perhaps finding a certain molly-coddling element to his man-management he is, and will be, a brilliant manager.
But its taken even Ferguson a long time to accept the molly-coddle (had no time for Beckham, Nistelrooy's prima dona antics and the club almost certainly suffered for it, but now claims the sun shines out Ronaldo's arse).
But the point is the backbone of a good manager is what Keane's got and the rest comes with experience.
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decent people resign.
money hungry people stay and either wait to be sacked or take the team down.
Hence I doubt anyone can remember the last person to actually resign rather than be sacked (dont really think circus act keegan counts)
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These guys are getting richer and more famous with every job between hire and fire, while they have themselves in the papers for breakfast. Stop whining - I'm disgusted!
How many kids starved to death while I typed this? Too many by far... get a life as they would've liked one!
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Also chairmen who know nothing about football might want to realise you cant buy players and they all turn out great. You always get flops.
The fact is some players flop, at all clubs, all the time and always have.
Its also even harder at less glam clubs because they have to sign loose cannons or people who arent doing so well, so theres bound to be even more flops.
Im sure the sunderland chairmen would prefer every signing to be cheap and sucessful but hows that ever going to happen?
Expectations and realism seem missing amongst fans and chairmen and I think the football league should try to see why this is and perhaps have a more stable game.
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"How many kids starved to death while I typed this? Too many by far... get a life as they would've liked one!"
Thats a strange comment to follow a strange comment.
Do you expect no starvation in the world? If people are going to live in deserts in poor countries, then there is going to be starvation and thats the way it is and always will be if people are stuck there and keep reproducing.
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The world we live in is an endless argument of injustices, but do we expect it to be perfect?
The oil companies could stop world starvation, so could millionaire football club owners, so could a lot of rich arabs sat in castles.
Also the world could print money, forget about inflation and hope everyone would still work.
But like many football fans, its all a dream world. Reality is, life is unfair and couldnt possibly be fair.
Its the same on the news "couldnt the social services have stopped this" "are the police to blame". Well are they expected to stop every crime before it happens every time? So then theres no crime, nothing bad ever happens?
The fact is blame is down to the person, too much now in the media its "couldnt they have stopped this.." well, how about the person actually doing it is to blame, sure there are extreme cases, but then again how is our world never going to have extreme cases with so many extreme nutters about?
Like I said, people can debate all they want, but you cant stop people living in there own bubbles. Everyone does and everyone always will unless humans suddenly evolve dramatically and somehow I think we will have destroyed the world by then, literally. We already destroyed ourselves a long time ago I think.
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"Alf Inge Haaland's career-ending injury problems were not caused by Roy Keane.
Haaland's surgeon told Haaland that - which is why Haaland was unable to sue Keane for ending his career. Keane was not responsible."
Oh well that makes up for the fact that Keane went out deliberatley to seriously injure the man then.
A person of Keanes character might be good enough to motivate a bunch of players on the pitch for 90 odd minutes, but i get the impression that he found it difficult to cope with the managerial side, as he couldnt directly affect the outcome of games by a stunning individual performance that we have seen many times of Keane the player.
On more than a few occassions he lead by example taking games by the scruff of the neck changing the momentum by sheer force of will at times, not being able to do that as a manager would likely have been very frustrating for him. Im not sure that Keane will be able to eek out a successful career as a manager as he doesnt come across as being the most flexible, and may never be able to adapt.
Maybe why players of similar character have failed also to adapt to managment, the Robsons and souness's of the world.
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@ 43 - Alan Curbishley walked I believe.
On the subject of Keane, I don't think he bottled it. He's doing what he thinks is best - rightly or wrongly.
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Perhaps Roy Keane is suffering from burnout? He came straight from an intense playing career, which was constantly under the media spotlight, into a job where he worked wonders in the championship and as a result of that and his reputation, suffered more attention from the overly critical media.
The way he has been talking in the last few weeks, about not being sure if he is the right man for the job, to me, is a classic signal that the man is burnout. He has weighed up the negative and positive gains of the job and felt that simply the negative aspects e.g. depersonalisation from the playing staff, outweigh the postive aspects of the job. I do think he'll be back, but he needs the time out.
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2. Subterranean
Alf Inge Haaland's career-ending injury problems were not caused by Roy Keane.
Haaland's surgeon told Haaland that - which is why Haaland was unable to sue Keane for ending his career. Keane was not responsible.
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Robbo didn't say it did end Haaland's career - he said it showed he was a nasty bloke, and as Keane admitted he did it as revenge and has no remorse over it, and having just seen a clip of it on the net to refresh my memory, it was horrific, I seriously can't believe people try and defend that tackle, even Keane doesn't, he just makes no apology for it
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Everyone knows he was a great footballer and quite often a bit over the top to put it miidly. The main point for me is that he spent so much money, we are 15 games into the season and he has left, Now somebody else has to come in and sort out the mess. If Sunderland fans feel that he was right to leave then maybe I should apply for the job. Give me the money I will buy some players find out that I am not quite up to it and leave, It galls me that anyone can actually defend him over this. He has left the club in deep .....
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@35
Concerning Haaland's part in Keane's injury at Elland Road.
Is it just me or did Keane injury himself by getting his studs caught in the turf trying to tackle/foul(delete as appropriate) Haaland?
I'm surprised he resign over a bad run but I suppose it gives Sunderland a chance to appoint someone more capable before the rot sets in.
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Alfie Haaland's career was finished by an injury on the OTHER KNEE! Keane got a huge ban for admitting the injury (he caused) was deliberate in his book... hardly running away from taking responsibility; if he'd kept quiet, he'd have not had the ban.
To state that Keane "ended Haaland's career" is (possibly) libellous, and as Keane is now unemployed, and may be short of a bob or two in the next few weeks...
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Most people could rattle out a dozen player's names who were easily above Keane (nice misnomer of a name). He wasn't the duck's nuts he's made out to be.(unless you only watch Man United).
Thing is, the other dozen ++ names you'd rattle out were not bullies. Everybody hates bullies. Keep watching his space for the karma.
Anyone who's been around for a while is also giving a knowing smirk to Leeds United.
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Yep, Roy bottled it. Why?
Firstly being a footballer is simple. Leadership simply requires cleanching your fist, shouting "c'mon" and kicking anyone with the ball. Real life (and being a Manager is closer to real life than being a footballer) is about complex challenges . Roy - like so many other ex-footballers - isn't up to those yet. He is too close to the cossetted world of a footballer to cope.
Secondly. Roy is used to winning lots of things. He can't understand anything other than total success, but doesn't know how to change it. So they toys come out of the pram.
He needs to forget Management for a while, and learn about the real world.
Do they do UEFA Badges in reality?
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Just a thought, how would it have been if this guy had played midfield for England, I wonder would the reactions have been different?
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I thought some of the posts on the cricket blog regarding the recent tragic events in India were poor (insomuch there was too much bias and many are poorly worded) but some of the posts above are even worse.
Someone reads Keane's book and is now an expert on the man - insults being hurled back and forth like children on a playground (where is smogland for those of us who do not live in the area?) - simplistic and puerile intereptations of many of Robbo's amusing comments - even the excuse that RK has the right to behave this way because of the racist namecalling in his younger days. I don't even know why I am bothering to type this except for the fact that what I have to say cannot be dafter or less worthy than most of what has been written. No wonder the word 'fan' comes from 'fanatic'. Always possible to ignore the facts when you hero worship someone or something. Footballers playing for your favourite team or religion - take your pick.
The simple fact is that Roy Keane is a selfish man. He has done and still does what suits Roy Keane and this is just another example. I respect his abilities and record as a player but I would certainly not want to add him to any dinner party list as I am sure he would just sit there thinking the rest of us were idiots. I suspect if anyone said something he did like he would just leave anyway.
However, as I do not know the man (does anyone who posted a comment actually claim to know him?) I would have been prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt except for the fact that he has already shown that he thinks he is always right and that he cannot accept any criticism of himself or his methods. Robbo is only half joking about doing a runner if RK came knocking on his door and it is brave of him to poke so much fun at RK's expense.
For those of you who think RK is a great man because he stuck to his 'principles' please remember that the terrorists in Mumbai would also claim to be following their convictions. I am not saying what RK has done equates in ANY way to their actions (football is NOT a matter of life and death whatever Shankley said) - simply that everyone uses this excuse when they want to justify what they have done regardless of how unacceptable it is to the rest of us.
The simple fact is that we ALL really knew that what has happened was only a matter of when rather than if and I am only surprised at how long he lasted at Sunderland. The only person I feel sorry for is Niall Quinn as he has been very decent in everything he said and done with regard to Sunderland and deserves a lot better.
Anyway, I have thought for a long time that the English are losing their famous sense of humour and the posts above just help to reconfirm this. We will soon be as bad as the Yanks. I just hope that both myself and Robbo do not live to see that day and if RK has his way who knows how soon that will be! Only joking for those of you who obviously cannot take a joke. Incidentally, if so many of you are so sensitive can I suggest that you take a leaf out RK's book and just walk away from the site?
I look forward to Robbo's next blog but I am losing interest in reading the comments as they are just degenerating into a slanging match between people who cannot see the bigger picture or laugh at someone who could not give a fig for any of us.
Regards, Joe.
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I have never liked him since his playing days, talented but a thug and a bully as well. His disrespect to Mick McCarthy and the Irish team was a disgrace and should have seen him banned from the national side for life. He has now been found out as a coward, since he could not bully his way out of failing as a manager he has done a runner, before getting totally shown up as inept at Old Trafford this weekend. The man has less bottle than Kevin Keegan and that is saying something.
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Another spot-on brilliant blog. Thanks. I too have eye witnessed the great unwashed of blunderland when they've had their day trips to London. To give them their due, they are loyal to the last minute while supporting their sub standard players.
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Have you also conveniently forgotten that Haaland was initially involved in giving Keane the serious knee injury he got against Leeds? Many of the one dimensional comments suggest Keane acted as if the two did not have any history.
Yeah, but the subtle difference is that Keane was trying to injure Haaland, Haaland was just trying to prevent Keane from scoring. When Haaland stopped Keane, he was annoyed because he BELIEVED that Keane was faking it when he probably wasn't.
Ok maybe Haaland shouldn't have said that but he was only saying what he believed. Then the tackle. As a City fan, I will never forgive Keane for that and I agree with the guy above. Keane says he deliberately tries to end Haaland's carrer after a horror tackle. What would I get? Several years in prison. What does Keane get? A fine. Yep, a fine. It's ridiculus. The only thing that makes me more angry is the fact that Keane has NEVER shown any remorse for what he did.
How this man was allowed back into football after the foul is beyond me. Good Riddance Keane, I hope you don't come back.
Of couse this just my opinion.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_st29mlQwU
Any player who goes out to intentionally break another players leg should be banned for life.
If Keane hadn't been captain of Man Utd, he would have been in serious trouble.
He should have been criminally charged, it was serious assault.
That's why you can't take Alex Ferguson seriosuly, if he can defend tackles like that...
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My cat's breath smells like cat food
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Enjoyed your post Robbo,
On the money with a number of points, even if you have ruffled a few feathers, don't always agree with your angle but this time i had to chuckle and post a reply.
I think Keane is one of those characters that either you love or hate, depending on your loyalties. If your a Man Utd fan, he can probably do no wrong, I'm not :o)
A spell in the lower leagues would have seen if he could handle situations where events are going pear shaped despite his best efforts. He did not have the situation of working under or with a Harry Redknapp, so is a one trick pony in terms of getting the best out of players. Hard on the outside, insecure underneath.
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Very helpful blog not. Robbo, I think you are revelling in Sunderlands misfortune. To kick a team when they appear down, without your usual humour, is well, a tad negative. Good Luck to Sunderland, As for Keane, tell us summat we don't know. This was the journalistic equivalent of an OTT tackle. RED CARD for Robbo, please get back to your best form.
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Robbo,
Your article was the biggest waste of time i've had in a long time. Keane is a decent man who was pushed into top level management too soon. I for one hope he is back, and if not still has the legacy of his playing career. No wonder top English managers find it hard to get to the very top when they have nobodys like you slating them. Your probably one of those guys who calls for a managers head and then when they leave give them a tirade of abuse, as seen above. Least Keano has something to fall back on, what have you ever done?
Lets hope the next time you write it is worth the paper that it's written on.
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Introduceing starving children into the blog was low and unecessary. Most starvation in the world is caused by war and crop failure.
We have just taken a 10 year old girl in. She is the oldest of EIGHT children, and the father has died, so the mother has to leave the family to work, to earn a crust.
The girl peals a few tatys and washes a few cups and watches TV. And we pay her.
There is another world than foiotball.
There is an American football film where the coach says it's like a war out there. This one legged man says, no it's a game of football, I KNOW about war.
RK has resigned on principle. He is not a bottler. Who else could take a club from relegation to promotion in the same season?
Sunderland are like a lot of 2nd division teams who get promoted, have a good 1st season then the sh*t his the fan the 2nd season.
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61 Topclasscitizen
exactly - the major issue initially was that Haaland accused Keane of faking it, Keane seriously injured *himself* attempting to tackle him and Haaland stood over him saying he was trying to avoid a card for the badly timed challenge
Haaland did not nearly end Keane's career or anything of the sort as a few apologists have tried to say
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All the best words to describe Keane are unprintable, so I'll have to make do with bully, coward and thug.
He was one of the best players in central midfield ever, yet he attacked more opponents than he tackled fairly, he whinged like a toddler at the 2002 World Cup when he didn't get his own way.
Now that Sunderland are on a bad run he quits saying they had "a good team he can't take forward", if you can't take a team forwards after six defeats in seven, then you are truly rubbish.
How Quinn can defend him beggars belief, he's spent £80m on your squad, chucked his toys out of the pram and sulked off home, but you should have known he was like this Niall, once a cry baby always a cry baby.
Football would do well to forget about Keane, he has been one of the worst rolemodels a lad could have.
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CanuckBlackCat
Why do Sunderland "belong" in the top half of the table? Where any club "belongs" is down to results, and Sunderland are exactly where they belong - in the bottom three.
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Robbo spot on but what about the fans , disgraceful from a fully grown ( more than a man ) Keane and just shows , full backing more than most managers would get £70m spent and on his toes . He has proved what I thought all along a Prima -donna of the worst kind , oh and he shouldn't dare come back no matter what his phsycophantic mates think !!! Up the Whites and Alan ( Mr Cool ) Irvine and I hope the Sunderland fans get a better deal !!!
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All this macho talk. The man seems depressed and probably has psychological problems. His inner rage has burned out and left a football stadium of blight hole in his life.
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aires22 asked me:
Why do Sunderland "belong" in the top half of the table? Where any club "belongs" is down to results, and Sunderland are exactly where they belong - in the bottom three.
A personal evaluation of the quality of the team, and a speculation about RK's expectations for his (former) team. Just as the Black Cats only just "belonged" in the Premiership last year, mostly on effort not quality.
Of course your point that the results are the only thing that truly matters is spot on. And RK would always reiterate that. Results don't lie. No club is too big to go down. et cetera ad nauseam.
So in the context of the departure of RK, Sunderland should be in the top half, are in the bottom three, it is the manager's fault, so the manager has to go.
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HCAFC1
Who exactly was it who "pushed" Keane into top-level management too soon? Surely you're not suggesting Niall Quinn did it?
Or is Keane his own man and therefore did he, in fact, accept the challenge completely of his own free will?
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Peurile; a word falling into relative disuse these days.
Thank the Lord we have folk like Robbo who provide those rare opportunities to get it into print.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
All you football fans are being 'conned' - and this guy Keane is the latest example of that! £3 million salary a year - and travelled from his home in Cheshire to Sunderland by helicoptor! So much for his commitment to Sunderland!
As for Mr. Allardyce - he's still counting his NU pay off - suggested to be £9 million - but he 'would love the job'! I'm sure he would - but what has he ever won?
This country and it's population is going broke - but the football conspiracy between newspapers, TV and football continues!
Get real, guys - there are more important things to worry about!
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I'm not trying to defend roy's takle on haaland, but if you remember why he did it, it was because of comments haaland made to keane about "fake injures" as keane was sprawled out on the ground from a bad haaland tackle. Yes he did it out of revenge but keane was also the type of player who wouldn't let anyone attack his character. The same was evident in his role as captain. In the tunnel when Viera was verbally trying to intimidate Neville, Keane stepped up and put him in his place. As a Player for Ireland he stepped up to the management and was sent home because of it. He is a man of strong character, and because of this we have the many heighlights of his career, but it also brings with it the negative side. All great players have both. Cantona, Viera, Shearer, Terry, Maradonna, Van Nistelrooy, Adams.
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78. I'm not trying to defend roy's takle on haaland, but if you remember why he did it, it was because of comments haaland made to keane about "fake injures" as keane was sprawled out on the ground from a bad haaland tackle.
---
Again - Take out 'the bad Haaland tackle' and you're right - Keane was the one tackling in both instances
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Truebluegunnergooner (Post 8)
Yes Lehman Bros did have branches. They had one here in Sydney, Oz. Last night I was talking to one of their people who found himself unemployed last August. He's off to his very nice property on the outskirts of Sydney to grow vegetables and enjoy a pleasantly well-off life.
So please apologise to poor, henpecked Robbo.
And shouldn't you be trueREDgooner, or are you confusing them with the oligarch's lot down the road?
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On second thoughts after reading these excellent blogs , maybe he took on too much and was embarassed not to go with the requirements of spending big money thrust upon him aka Mr Hughes of Man City.
After turning Sunderland round without much cash then having to spend big , he was actually out of his depth and now realises that and maybe fear is the deciding factor , total failure for RK with Sunderland going down , perhaps mentally he personally could not cope with this possibility .
Hopefully Mr Hughes won't go the same way with his massive pressure to spend and create an MU or Chelski overnight . He has had an incredible chance ,as I said , as a manager but not on his terms and more expectancy than he could handle from fans and board alike .
Just a final thought , Moyes left PNE for Everton , and managed without spending multi-millions which suited him similar to lack of cash at his previous club , he added players here and there with the tight budget available and controlled "his team"and the "growth " of Everton . RK had to spend , it was expected and he obviously wasn't a Harry or Mourinio , and certainly hadn't the experience however good, agressive as a player he was !
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Don't you just hate it when someone with no experience but a big axe to grind comes up with a blog like Robbo"s? just try and do better instead of writing rubbish. Keano may be difficult to get on with but at least he's been there and knows what he's talking about instead of some Jesse who just criticises and has no answers.
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Keano paid £6mill for Lord Snooty aka Kieron Richardson!! How we chortled as we walked up Sir Matt Busby Way, toasting SAFy on managing to sell a complete waste of space instead of being duped into buying yet another.
And this after he had frog marched the egotistical little oik back to Bentley and made him return the Coupe he just treated himself too, as Keane didn't think he'd earned the right to own one!
As the psychiatrist said in Fawtly Towers about Basil, "there's enough here for a whole conference" Equally applicable to Keane. Complex chap that he is.
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Keane the player is completely different to Keane the manager. First impression goes a long way they say, and first impression from Keane as a manager of a big club has left people questioning his commitment to the cause and he has been labelled, rightly or wrongly, a bottler and has lost all credibility.
He hasn't helped himself by spending millions upon millions on dross and Championship standard players - stand up Paul McShane, Michael Chopra, Dickson Etuhu, Liam Miller, David Healy, Greg Halford, Anthony Stokes, George McCartney - I could go on all night long.
On the other side of the argument, people would say there is too much pressure on young managers. Gareth Southgate seems to have cracked it, but others like Paul Ince, Tony Adams and Keane himself have come under severe pressure from press ans fans alike to produce the goods.
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First time Ive read this blog, and it will definitly be the last
How does the idiot author know Keane has bottled it? Are they good friends? Its more likely Keane thought he has taken them as far as he could, and has left for the good of the club. That isnt bottling it. But dont let facts get in the way of a pathetic blog. What a crap blog.
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It's Triggs, the dog, I feel sorry for haha.
Lots of walks coming up
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Im sure both Roy and Triggs will manage to overcome the angst of such telling times as the rest of us flail and tackle our way through the economic crisis. By the way, I wouldnt put the beard down to depression, more like an attempt at seeing if some of his Liverpool counterpart's success was down to the hirsuit addition. I have no doubt that Mr Keane will return to the Premier soon enough so this character so many love to hate will be back in the papers (and blogs) shortly. Meanwhile I sincerely wish Sunderland and its fans the best of luck.
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Keane has obviously bottled it.
What a pity he didn't shown the same reaction before lunging in to break Haaland's leg.
A thug of the worst sort.
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75... kwinqwark...
Now if you're going to get all superior mate you're going to have spell 'puerile' properly, otherwise the whole thing falls apart.
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Strikes me that Keane just didn't want to work there anymore.
Ever felt like that? I have on many occasions.
Sometimes when I was the lowest of the low, and other times when I had managerial responsibilities.
I just sometimes realised that I didn't like my job. I have left a couple of jobs because of it. Just gone, without having anywhere else to go. If I am honest I would have done that a lot more often if I had not had to worry about money.
My decision to quit those jobs had nothing to do with whether or not I was good at them, or whether or not I was an anachronistic psycopath. I just left cos I didn't want to work there any more. The job didn't make me happy for some reason.
Whatever you think about Keane, he has never backed away from anything, even when it has cost him.
When your owner undermines you and the fans boo the team and the team don't respond to your personality, what can you do?
He has left and given them the chance to get someone in before the transfer window. That seems pretty honourable to me. It's not like he is in the papers begging for understanding or slagging the club off.
He was a great player and studied under two great managers and for the first two years as a manger he had real success. Sunderland losing 5 games doesn't make him a bad manager. Neither does resigning.
If you like Keane you will support his decision and if you don't like him then you won't.
Your opinions have nothing to do with this incident and everything to do wth your previously formed opinion of the man.
I doubt that Roy Keane (or his dog) gives a toss, either way.
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Roy Keane - fantastic player - hard and skilful dynamo.
Roy Keane - manager - when he grew his beard I wondered if it was symbolic - cast-iron hard manager but brittle?
Either way, shame he didn't feel like seeing the job through - he may have to work hard to overcome that lingering image.
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Why would anyone be surprised? He walked out Ireland & Man Utd when the going got tough.
Roy - Take a break. Rest relax and come back in a couple of years.
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Good Blog Robbo?!
gutted that there aint as many analogies to keep me chuckling in the office today, but a good read never-the-less.
I agree with you, that I also believe that he has bottled and just jumped ship when the going has got tough?!
i thought that with a player of his stature that he'd of been a bigger man than to just bail, thought he'd of least of stuck it out and tried to pull them through, sheme now he will get likened to the poor managerial excuse that is the so called "King Kev"
if Keano really wants to cut the mustard asa top rate, top quality, top class manager one day, those are the kind of testing times the he needs to stand up and be counted and pull the players and team thru or else he can forget managing a big club?!
at the end of the day, his mentor, Sir Alex, didnt just walk out on Man U when the going was tough in his early days?! he would of stuck it until he got the Sack methinks.
these are lifes managerial tests that make you a stronger person and a better manager for going thru them................not jus bottling it at the first sign of trouble and struggle?!
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Lots of things, you could plainly see that Keane did not like or respect Quinn, he did refer to him a "muppet", also Keane threw his toys out of the pram, he thought he would walk into the prem and be the big man, he might be hard ,but his team had a soft centre, the scowling face, the one day beard, the veiled theats to players, he just did not have a plan B, (even his plan A was not up to much).
Maybe managment is not for him, you cannot manage with your heart on your sleeve nowadays, you need a cool head to make positive and sensible decisions, and i think keane walking out was a very pectulent one.
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I struggle with respecting Keane for anything but his constructive play which was magnificent at the best of times.
For United, Forest and Ireland (when Alex let him) he was a true entertainer.
However his antics of destruction on the pitch were diplorable. His treatment of referees a lesson in incredible disrespect.
His walk out on Ireland put him in a position of weakness if he really wanted to transform the FAI which has gone from one bungle to another since. If he had returned with a very plausible semi final appearence under his belt ... then he would have been listened to. I think a lot of people in Ireland respect Roy but they are either United fans who can see no wrong or from his home county of Cork who are fiercly loyal.
His personality I dont think lends itself to modern management. When squads had 16 players they all had a chance to play.With squads of 38 a manager needs to be able to console the damaged ego and motivate.
I wouldn't want to have Keane near me!
I wish him well. He would make a great pundit but he's shut that door already, perhaps scouting or training at kids level.
Good Luck to Sunderland it's going to be tough on Wearside this next few weeks.
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point number 15, absolutely correct. well said!!!
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Sunderland unfortunatley got what they deserve.Twas lunacy giving Keane the job in the first place.He had no managerial experience and his 'loyalty' track record speaks for itself, in Saipin he deserted his country, at the end of his United days he bad mouthed his team mates on MUTV, so as the the old saying goes 'Don't say you weren't warned'. The Keane myth has been well and truly exploded. Keane the grafter has become Keane the runner.
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