November 18 – Keano’s Shock Exit

WHEN he was Alex Ferguson’s on-field snarling all-tackling, all dancing lieutenant in the Manchester United team, Roy Keane was loved by the Old Trafford faithful but despised by most other fans. Indeed, your humble author thought he was little more than a spiteful yet energetic thug with a good line in stinging criticism which he dished out to everyone from international managers to corporate fans at Old Trafford.

However, since Keane’s conversion into a forthright and (save for the kjnkj) successful manager, he deserves a reappraisal and yours truly is having to have a re-think about Keano. Far from being the complete disaster of a gaffer that we and others predicted, he has thus far been doing pretty well and seems to be becoming the kind of thoughtful and insightful manager that Tony Adams seems to desperately be trying to come across as in his press conferences.

Keano started his playing career in England under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest before moving to Manchester United in 1993. It seemed like a perfect fit as Keane became one of Europe’s top midfielders and thrived in the all-conquering 1990s team Sir Alex built. The relationship between manager and player seemed to be one of the tightest in football but that all came to a sudden end on this day in 2005 when Keane dramatically quit the club after 12-and-a-half years.

The news was as unexpected as it was sudden although there had been signs Keano was not entirely happy at the club. The catalyst for his departure seems to have been an interview he gave to MUTV which was never broadcast but contained harsh words for some of his teammates.

With the club going though something of a shaky patch, Keane was typically upfront with his views of his fellow professionals at the club, notably John O’Shea, Alan Smith, Kieran Richardson and Darren Fletcher. He also directed his ire at Rio Ferdinand and said: “Just because you are paid £120,000-a-week and play well for 20 minutes against Tottenham, you think you are a superstar.”

Keane had gone from being Fergie’s most trusted player to a loose cannon and the old man dealt with him in a typically ruthless manner. Keane was out, apparently by mutual consent. His last match was a 0-0 draw against arch-rivals Liverpool in September.

Both Keane and Fergie issued typically bland PR-ish statements. Keane said: “It has been a great honour and privilege for me to play for Manchester United for over 12 years. During my time at the club I have been fortunate to play alongside some of the best players in the game and in front of the best supporters in the world. At all times I have endeavoured to do my best for the management and the team.

“Whilst it is a sad day for me to leave such a great club and manager I believe that the time has now come for me to move on. After so many years, I will miss everyone at the club. I send my best wishes for the future to the management, players, staff and supporters of the club.”

Ferguson said: “Roy Keane has been a fantastic servant for Manchester United. The best midfield player in the world of his generation, he is already one of the great figures in our club’s illustrious history. Roy has been central to the success of the club in the last 12-and-a-half years and everyone at Old Trafford wishes him well in the rest of his career and beyond.”

Roy went on to sign for Celtic and spent six months with the club, winning the SPL and Scottish League Cup, before he retired from playing altogether.

As usual we will have more for you tomorrow, meantime read about another famous midfielder arriving at Old Trafford on this day here.

Related posts:

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