Diego's mate quits Sunderland

[leeslover]

Keane and Sunderland part company

 

Keane took charge of Sunderland in 2006

Roy Keane has left his position as manager of Sunderland.

 

Sunderland confirmed the exit of Keane on Thursday, with players and staff at the Stadium of Light also informed after a morning of speculation.

 

The Black Cats are 18th in the Premier League and have lost five of their last six games.

 

Former Manchester United midfielder Keane, 37, took over at Sunderland in 2006 and led them to the Premier League in 2006-07.

 

Keane had said in recent weeks that his future may not be certain, hinting that he could leave the club.

 

Sunderland's latest defeat came against Bolton on Saturday, with the Black Cats losing 4-1.

 

"I ask myself every day if I'm the right man for Sunderland," he said after that defeat.

 

"I asked myself this morning, and I said I was. Sunday morning, if the answer's no, we'll have to look at it." 606: DEBATE

Whether he was pushed or jumped ship, it comes down to undue pressure being piled on his shoulders

 

feltz13

 

Keane has spent nearly £70m on 33 permanent signings since his arrival in August 2006, including the big-money arrivals of striker Kenwyne Jones, midfielder Kieran Richardson, defender Anton Ferdinand and a club-record £9m on keeper Craig Gordon.

 

In their return to the Premier League last season their finished in 15th position escaping relegation by just three points.

 

Keane had been due to hold a news conference at 1300 GMT ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester United.

 

The Irish midfielder is still regarded as legend at previous club Manchester United where he won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups as well as the Champions League in 1999.

 

During his 12-year career at Old Trafford he earned himself a fearsome reputation as a no-nonsense tough-tackling midfielder.

 

 

Keane's final news conference

Keane also had spells at Nottingham Forest and Celtic, winning 66 caps for his country.

 

During his first season as manager at Sunderland he led the club to the Championship title.

 

Keane becomes the fourth managerial departure in the Premier League this season.

 

His contract was due to expire at the end of the season with talks over a new deal reportedly ongoing.

 

More to follow.

[DavidCollinge]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer chap - Good riddance...

[opinions4u]

Allaradyce for Sunderland?

[Killens_physio]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer chap - Good riddance...

 

Keane had begun to completely lose the plot over the last few weeks. In his interviews he began speaking in riddles, and some of his signings were nothing short of managerial suicide. I believe Keane always thought he was better than what he was, and also bigger and better than Sunderland.

 

Still who cares because he is a Grade A tosser!

[RoytonBlueLad]

Allaradyce for Sunderland?

 

Oh he'll be hawking himself for this one. No danger.

 

Can see O'Leary having a go too.

[leeslover]

Allaradyce for Sunderland?

O'Leary is my guess. I presume he still lives in the Leeds area so that he can stalk, "his babies," out of work, same nationality as 9/10 of the squad.

[Diego_Sideburns]

I believe Keane always thought he was better than what he was, and also bigger and better than Sunderland....

 

...and the Republic of Ireland.

 

Keano's managerial style is said to owe a lot to Cloughie's methods - and although they were unusual, Keano said they made Cloughie a better boss than even Taggart.

 

Keano on Cloughie:

"I meet other players who played under him and we have all got our own stories, but he was a genius, an absolute genius, and certainly the best manager I played under, without a shadow of a doubt. I am probably the last person Cloughie would have expected to become a manager because my off-field life wasn't exactly perfect at the time.

 

"I remember the day after my debut against Liverpool as a kid, he summoned me to his office.

 

"He asked what my name was. Then he gave me his shoes to polish. He was deliberately bringing me back down to earth. If I did that today I think I'd have the shoes thrown back at me.

 

"On the way up to that game I was at his house, and he gave me a pint of milk and said, 'drink that lad'. I said, 'I don't like milk'. He said, 'you had better drink it - I am putting the bottles out.'

 

"He was also really generous. I went to a charity night with him and some young players and at the end of it he just gave me £50 for going. Didn't have to.

 

"It was the first time I had seen one of those.

 

"His training was simple, five-a-sides and sprint competitions. He made us all get in a five-a-side goal one day which I thought was brilliant. We are all crammed in this goal for no reason. If someone did that today, you'd be thinking, how has this lad got his Pro Licence?

 

"We were all squashed in there like a giant game of twister.

 

"You always knew he was around the training ground because Del Boy his dog was with him. I loved that.

 

"Some of the lads would hide, and had fear, but I just had the greatest respect for him. He would send the young players around giving Del Boy a walk!

 

"He was hard but fair. I like that way. I had one or two incidents under him, like in Jersey on tour when I was sent home. It was a drinking session with a female hockey player who I think was married.

 

"To cut a long story short an argument happened and there was an incident."

 

Taggart wanted Keano to succeed him as ManUre manager when he retired. However, in the wake of Keano's acrimonious departure from OT, Taggart became evasive regarding Keane's prospects as a manager: "Young managers come along and people say this one will be England manager or boss of this club, but two years later they're not there. It's not an easy environment to come into, I wouldn't forecast anything."

 

He had a current squad of 51players, 39 of whom he’d signed at a cost of £80m in just over two years. Obviously not cut out to manage players at the top level - doubt whether he asked Mick McCarthy for advice. Realised he was out of his depth so decided to go.

 

The big loser is Ryanair, with Keano’s Irish fans not making the regular trips over to see their hero.

 

His Labrador dog Trigs is the big winner in this saga.

 

Keano’s impersonator interviews Keano - Roy on Roy:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NNrxbRyM7EI

 

There’s only one Keano in the Greedy League and he’s at Liverpool!

[leezyverpunk]

Big tuff guy couldnt handle the pressure and botttled it - boo hoo Royo.

 

reminds me of 'the guv'nor' Ince not stepping up to tekk a pen for England - 'guv'nore my arse'

 

He is next for da boot - bring on the so called tuff guys!

[leeslover]

...and the Republic of Ireland.

We’ve been over this before, but I think that is the one thing that he doesn’t really deserve the stick for. He went out to Japorea with the intention of winning the world cup for his country and wasn’t happy at all the officials who seemed to be treating it as a pleasant tourist trip. It’s a shame more England players don’t have half that much desire to win for their country.

[Guest oa_exile]

We’ve been over this before, but I think that is the one thing that he doesn’t really deserve the stick for. He went out to Japorea with the intention of winning the world cup for his country and wasn’t happy at all the officials who seemed to be treating it as a pleasant tourist trip. It’s a shame more England players don’t have half that much desire to win for their country.

 

...............next you'll be quoting that he was one of Celtic's greatest players

[Killens_physio]

...and the Republic of Ireland.

 

Keano's managerial style is said to owe a lot to Cloughie's methods - and although they were unusual, Keano said they made Cloughie a better boss than even Taggart.

 

Keano on Cloughie:

"I meet other players who played under him and we have all got our own stories, but he was a genius, an absolute genius, and certainly the best manager I played under, without a shadow of a doubt. I am probably the last person Cloughie would have expected to become a manager because my off-field life wasn't exactly perfect at the time.

 

"I remember the day after my debut against Liverpool as a kid, he summoned me to his office.

 

"He asked what my name was. Then he gave me his shoes to polish. He was deliberately bringing me back down to earth. If I did that today I think I'd have the shoes thrown back at me.

 

"On the way up to that game I was at his house, and he gave me a pint of milk and said, 'drink that lad'. I said, 'I don't like milk'. He said, 'you had better drink it - I am putting the bottles out.'

 

"He was also really generous. I went to a charity night with him and some young players and at the end of it he just gave me £50 for going. Didn't have to.

 

"It was the first time I had seen one of those.

 

"His training was simple, five-a-sides and sprint competitions. He made us all get in a five-a-side goal one day which I thought was brilliant. We are all crammed in this goal for no reason. If someone did that today, you'd be thinking, how has this lad got his Pro Licence?

 

"We were all squashed in there like a giant game of twister.

 

"You always knew he was around the training ground because Del Boy his dog was with him. I loved that.

 

"Some of the lads would hide, and had fear, but I just had the greatest respect for him. He would send the young players around giving Del Boy a walk!

 

"He was hard but fair. I like that way. I had one or two incidents under him, like in Jersey on tour when I was sent home. It was a drinking session with a female hockey player who I think was married.

 

"To cut a long story short an argument happened and there was an incident."

 

Taggart wanted Keano to succeed him as ManUre manager when he retired. However, in the wake of Keano's acrimonious departure from OT, Taggart became evasive regarding Keane's prospects as a manager: "Young managers come along and people say this one will be England manager or boss of this club, but two years later they're not there. It's not an easy environment to come into, I wouldn't forecast anything."

 

He had a current squad of 51players, 39 of whom he’d signed at a cost of £80m in just over two years. Obviously not cut out to manage players at the top level - doubt whether he asked Mick McCarthy for advice. Realised he was out of his depth so decided to go.

 

The big loser is Ryanair, with Keano’s Irish fans not making the regular trips over to see their hero.

 

His Labrador dog Trigs is the big winner in this saga.

 

Keano’s impersonator interviews Keano - Roy on Roy:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NNrxbRyM7EI

 

There’s only one Keano in the Greedy League and he’s at Liverpool!

 

To be honest there are only a very select few managers who can go straight in at the top level and handle the whole situation. Many have tried but most end up exactly like Keane and realising that the pressures of managing one of the 'big 20' in the Premiergreed is in fact more than they originally thought. Most managers would do themselves a favour by starting off in the lower leagues and learning their trade that way. Football now at that level is more a science than just lumping together 11 players on a matchday. Things are very different now than they were in Clough's days, mainly because of the glamour lifestyle that top players have nowadays. Football has moved on at every level.

 

Ince started off at Macc and by all accounts did a good job as he did with Franchise before taking the leap to Blackburn. Whether or not like Keane, Ince will find it was one step to quick remains to be seen. Keane will manage elsewhere im sure, but if the likes of Wenger, Benitez, Taggart to name a few thought that starting off with so called smaller clubs was the right idea then Keane is no different. And the gap then between club and International level has also been shown up by McTurnip and Staunton recently. Keane really could have used an experienced head as his number 2 at Sunderland, but probably didnt have the personality to have that. To full of himself IMO.

[Diego_Sideburns]

We’ve been over this before, but I think that is the one thing that he doesn’t really deserve the stick for. He went out to Japorea with the intention of winning the world cup for his country and wasn’t happy at all the officials who seemed to be treating it as a pleasant tourist trip. It’s a shame more England players don’t have half that much desire to win for their country.

 

The things that needed changing about the FAI were not going to be changed in those circumstances - wrong time, wrong place. All for one and one for all, so he had to be sent home.

 

Close to tears in a press conference, Niall Quinn said

"If Roy Keane had apologised on television I am sure he would have been on his way to Japan."

 

"We came so close to getting Roy out here. He will never know how close.

 

"The vote was unanimous. It was 22 players, during a a very hard five to 10 minutes, but there was no lobbying.

 

"There were not any players throwing their arms up in the air saying 'yes bring him back'.

 

"But the structure of the Irish team had to come before Roy and with a heavy heart we issued our statement."

 

 

I wonder if Craig Davies models himself on Keano.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Diego_Sideburns

[leeslover]

...............next you'll be quoting that he was one of Celtic's greatest players

Nah, you've got to be pretty damn good to get onto that list He joined Celtic a couple of years too late

 

 

And the gap then between club and International level has also been shown up by McTurnip and Staunton recently.

 

Staunton bridged the gap from pub to international, not club to international

[Guest oa_exile]

Nah, you've got to be pretty damn good to get onto that list He joined Celtic a couple of years too late

 

lol OK

[Guest sheridans_world]

Where has this hatred for Roy Keane stemmed from?! Is it just because he was so successful at United?

[Killens_physio]

Where has this hatred for Roy Keane stemmed from?! Is it just because he was so successful at United?

 

The fact he played for ManUre doesnt help, but personally i have always hated him mainly because my mates used to bang on about what a quality player he was, but he seemed nothing more than a talentless thug to me.....but then again i did once buy a Latics shirt with McCarthy on the back so wtf do i know!

[Guest sheridans_world]

The fact he played for ManUre doesnt help, but personally i have always hated him mainly because my mates used to bang on about what a quality player he was, but he seemed nothing more than a talentless thug to me.....but then again i did once buy a Latics shirt with McCarthy on the back so wtf do i know!

Lol.

 

I've had all the united fans banging on about him at me too.

 

That considered though, he was a good footballer, he was a great leader on the pitch and captained United to a good few honours. While I can understand the talentless thug p.o.v, which he didnt improve with his takle on Håland. Lets face it, as much as people here might dislike United or Fergie, Keane played at the highest level of English and European football with United for twelve years, you aint talentless if you do that! Most of all Fergie isnt fooled by anyone.

 

If Keane had played for Latics, would he have been a talentless thug or a fantastic leader?!

 

As far as his departure from Sunderland goes, he did very well for Sunderland, leading them into the premiership and retaining their position last season. I definatley think he will be a manager to watch if he gets settled somewhere.

 

His outspoken and off-field antics have ceased since he became a manager, the biggest step I felt he needed to overcome when Sunderland appointed him.

 

Good look Roy.

[rudemedic]

Lol.

 

I've had all the united fans banging on about him at me too.

 

That considered though, he was a good footballer, he was a great leader on the pitch and captained United to a good few honours. While I can understand the talentless thug p.o.v, which he didnt improve with his takle on Håland. Lets face it, as much as people here might dislike United or Fergie, Keane played at the highest level of English and European football with United for twelve years, you aint talentless if you do that! Most of all Fergie isnt fooled by anyone.

 

If Keane had played for Latics, would he have been a talentless thug or a fantastic leader?!

 

As far as his departure from Sunderland goes, he did very well for Sunderland, leading them into the premiership and retaining their position last season. I definatley think he will be a manager to watch if he gets settled somewhere.

His outspoken and off-field antics have ceased since he became a manager, the biggest step I felt he needed to overcome when Sunderland appointed him.

 

Good look Roy.

 

I'm sorry I'm going to have to disagree with you, a blind monkey who on players as opposed to talking to them could have got Sunderland into the Prem with the financial backing he had. He did not do a great job at Sunderland, they have the backing and support to be a Premiership team he got them to where they should be. A good job at Sunderland is for them to get into Europe, an adequate job is not struggling to avoid relegation and an inadequate job is anything less. He spent a lot of money signing players who weren't good enough for a Spurs team that finished 11th. I quite like Keane as a manager, not for his ability or lack there of, but because he was honest in post match interviews (doing them is always a good start red nose) and called it how he saw it and he never really seemed to moan as much as others about decisions which may have gone against the Mackems. Roy Keane as a player played at a high level for his club but how many world cups/european championships did he play in, someone like Djibril Cisse has medals from these. Being a good football manager is more than being a good player (tell me how many times Benitez, Wenger and Mourhinio played for their country) its about being able to handle the various personalities that are in your club and so you have to be adaptable to various styles of man management (although I will admit being a good player helps). The higher you go in football management the more complicated handling players egos becomes and Keane struck me as being not good enough at the level he was at. He could do quite well in the future, given the opportunity, but I think he needed to start at a level similar to ours and progress steadily up the ladder (unlike Ince who jumped too high too soon). Football needs people like Roy Keane in management I think (he makes a refreshing change from 'I didn't see it' Wenger at least) and would quite like to see him manage elsewhere soon but judging by the mood up here I'm not so sure some Mackems aren't glad to see him go, but they do wonder who they can get who is going to be good enough.

[DerekWilson_1968]

Ok I'm not going to comment on his managerial departure, what I will say though is that he is THE best player I have ever witnessed with my own eyes (dis-regarding those that have played for the mighty).

 

Even as a kid he was an awesome midfield player and he just got better and better from my pov.

 

I have seen some fantastic footballers in my time, still wish I had seen Henry though, but Keanes will and desire to win at any cost was the making of the best midfield player of modern times in my opinion. I bet there were many opponents that went up against him that thought they had lost before the game started.

 

To dismiss him as a mindless thug is crass, he was a old-fashioned hard as nails midfield player with lots and lots of talent in his boots. He could pick a team up by its bootlaces and make them play on his own. Of course he had his moments of madness but I bet every single one of us would excuse those for what he brought to the team if he had played for us.

 

When at his peak there was only one in the greedy league willing to stand up to him and that was Viera. Everyone else knew they were second best coming out of the tunnel.

 

If anyone ever gets a performance as talented as the night they turned Juve over in Turin from a midfield player again I will be amazed.

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

[Diego_Sideburns]

Where has this hatred for Roy Keane stemmed from?! Is it just because he was so successful at United?

 

“Hate” is not the correct word in my case. In respect of ManUre, rather than hatred, it’s a dislike of the club’s ability to get away with injustice that I detest. Incidents of indiscipline on the pitch and reluctance to either condemn those incidents or be magnanimous on those rare occasions of defeat, are also at the root of my dislike. Yes, I clap my hands along with the ManUre-haters song, because my real dislike would take up too many syllables in verse.

 

Keano was one of the great players with a huge talent, who demonstrated inspirational commitment and set an heroic example to his team-mates. He was never any trouble on the field at Forest, where the manager’s philosophy was for his players not to question match officials. He reached great heights at ManUre, but his aggressive excesses of behaviour on the pitch turned me against him.

 

Taggart once described Keano as standing for the same values as himself, which I would not disagree with.

 

Keano’s admirers claim that, as a professional, he has demanded absolutely everything of himself, but he was unable to exercise self-control, even when it was imperative in the interests of his team. In addition to the red mist resulting in red cards, there were also notorious incidents including treading on the Porto keeper at a crucial stage of a Champions’ League tie and the elbowing offence against Jason McAteer that seemed more like a contemptuous gesture than assault. I’ve been told before on here that his admission about deliberately injuring Alf Inge Harland is irrelevant because it wasn’t that incident that finished Alf’s career - so that’s alright!

 

When appointed as Sunderland manager he headed off criticism by talking in his first press conference of apologies and professions of humility about his playing career.. He said: “I have no doubt over the years I crossed that white line. It’s probably cost me a lot, the World Cup in 2002 and you could say my United career but, as much as that is a downside, it’s a plus for me as well because I care about the game, who I’m playing for and who I’m playing with.”

 

That sounds fine, but what about when his actions have meant that he was no longer available to be on the pitch with his team?

 

What happened in 2002 was, of course, his bitter feud with Mick McCarthy. He lamented how much it had cost him but, surely, the point is to ask how significantly his actions diminished his team’s prospects of mounting a telling challenge, having lost its best player and captain on the eve of the World Cup finals

 

In the same way, I still despise that other great player Maradona for his deliberate hand-ball , and the injustice arising from it.

 

To sum up I suppose it’s the unsporting aspect that really gets me down because it tarnishes greatness.

[dave_ragg1984]

His outspoken and off-field antics have ceased since he became a manager, the biggest step I felt he needed to overcome when Sunderland appointed him.

 

 

Yeah, until it got a bit tough and then he started having a go at refs/players/fans/media. His first bad spell and he quits...the new Kevin Keegan?

[DerekWilson_1968]

"Hate" is not the correct word in my case. In respect of ManUre, rather than hatred, it's a dislike of the club's ability to get away with injustice that I detest. Incidents of indiscipline on the pitch and reluctance to either condemn those incidents or be magnanimous on those rare occasions of defeat, are also at the root of my dislike. Yes, I clap my hands along with the ManUre-haters song, because my real dislike would take up too many syllables in verse.

 

Keano was one of the great players with a huge talent, who demonstrated inspirational commitment and set an heroic example to his team-mates. He was never any trouble on the field at Forest, where the manager's philosophy was for his players not to question match officials. He reached great heights at ManUre, but his aggressive excesses of behaviour on the pitch turned me against him.

 

Taggart once described Keano as standing for the same values as himself, which I would not disagree with.

 

Keano's admirers claim that, as a professional, he has demanded absolutely everything of himself, but he was unable to exercise self-control, even when it was imperative in the interests of his team. In addition to the red mist resulting in red cards, there were also notorious incidents including treading on the Porto keeper at a crucial stage of a Champions' League tie and the elbowing offence against Jason McAteer that seemed more like a contemptuous gesture than assault. I've been told before on here that his admission about deliberately injuring Alf Inge Harland is irrelevant because it wasn't that incident that finished Alf's career - so that's alright!

 

When appointed as Sunderland manager he headed off criticism by talking in his first press conference of apologies and professions of humility about his playing career.. He said: "I have no doubt over the years I crossed that white line. It's probably cost me a lot, the World Cup in 2002 and you could say my United career but, as much as that is a downside, it's a plus for me as well because I care about the game, who I'm playing for and who I'm playing with."

 

That sounds fine, but what about when his actions have meant that he was no longer available to be on the pitch with his team?

 

What happened in 2002 was, of course, his bitter feud with Mick McCarthy. He lamented how much it had cost him but, surely, the point is to ask how significantly his actions diminished his team's prospects of mounting a telling challenge, having lost its best player and captain on the eve of the World Cup finals

 

In the same way, I still despise that other great player Maradona for his deliberate hand-ball , and the injustice arising from it.

 

To sum up I suppose it's the unsporting aspect that really gets me down because it tarnishes greatness.

 

As so many have stated over the years Diego, to get the best from the genius you have to accept the madness.

 

There is a list as long as my arm of players that have been blessed with talent that far out reaches that of others but they all have a beast waiting to be released at any moment.

 

In the nineties and noughties there has still to be a better footballer for me than Roy Keane. Mad as a hatter or not, I would take every problem going to have that prodigious talent on board with my team.

 

Bad decision or not, who wouldn't want to elbow the scouse :censored:wit that is McAteer??? ;)

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

[dave_ragg1984]

In the nineties and noughties there has still to be a better footballer for me than Roy Keane. Mad as a hatter or not, I would take every problem going to have that prodigious talent on board with my team.

 

Better than Zidane?

[DerekWilson_1968]

Better than Zidane?

 

 

Never saw ZZ in the flesh, but yes I would say he was.

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

[leeslover]

Better than Zidane?

Hard to compare. Zidane had skills that nobody since Maradona, at least, had. A true joy to watch. I bet Real would have won a lot of games, especially domestic ones, that they lost or drew, if they'd had Keane in place of him though. Anyone who thinks Keane couldn't play was watching the game with a colour filter.

Edited December 4, 2008 by leeslover