Ranting Roy

[Winrew]

Roy Keane's interview with Manchester United's TV channel following the loss at Middlesbrough reportedly called for a player clear-out in the new year.

The interview, subsequently withdrawn, also criticised defender Rio Ferdinand.

Keane is quoted as telling MUTV: "Just because you're paid £120,000-a-week and do well for 20 minutes against Spurs, you think you're a superstar.

"There's talk of putting this right in January and bringing players in. We should be doing the opposite."

The 34-year-old, who has been at Old Trafford for 11 years, issued an uncompromising analysis of United's humiliating 4-1 defeat at The Riverside.

"I wasn't surprised by the result - I had been expecting one like this," said Keane.

"The players have been asked questions and they are just not coming up with the answers. I am sick of having to say it and they are sick of listening to me.

"They have let down the club, the manager and the fans.


It seems in this club you have to play badly to be rewarded
Roy Keane

"The younger players have been let down by some of the more experienced ones - they are not leading. There is a shortage of characters.

"It seems to be in this club you have to play badly to be rewarded. Maybe that is what I should do when I come back - play badly."

Nor did the younger players at the club, currently 13 points adrift of Premiership leaders Chelsea, escape Keane's wrath.

"When they sign the contracts, they think they have made it. They owe it to the manager, the staff and the fans," he said.

"These guys thought getting new contracts was the best day of their careers. They think they have made it. They haven't.

"The fact that (senior players) are out should be enough incentive for those coming in to play better and give more.

"It is not enough to play well for 20 minutes, it is a 90-minute game.

"You get well rewarded but you have to put the hard work to earn those rewards."

The show was due to be screened on Monday but failed to make it to air, with a report on the club's academy side shown instead.

[Winrew]

Thought i would never say this , but i kind of agree with Roy

[MickeyPaul]

I posted this before the change over Winrew. I was gonna repost but it seemed out of date.

I'm not sure he's expressed his views in a helpful way to be honest BUT if I was one of the players he was slating I'd definitely want to make him eat his words. Is that his plan you reckon?

edit: Just noticed you've posted the follow up to the one I posted. Mine was better.

[ONEDUNME]

I don't have any feelings about this either way but the things that stand out as being total bollox to me are.....

"There's talk of putting this right in January and bringing players in. We should be doing the opposite."

What, and playing with a smaller squad you mean Surely you need to bring players in if you're gonna get rid of some.



It seems in this club you have to play badly to be rewarded

From a man who's been paid millions by them. Does this mean he has made a career out of playing badly




"The younger players have been let down by some of the more experienced ones ..."

Would'nt an example of this being the more experienced ones slating them with comments like.....

"These guys thought getting new contracts was the best day of their careers. They think they have made it. They haven't.


I don't care what anyone says, this bloke is never going to make a decent manager. He's more likely to turn players off than motivate them and the minute things aren't going his way there'll be an almighty bust up and he'll storm off.

[zonker84]

He is supposed to have a lot of respect for Alex Ferguson and so on, but you don't say things like that if you do It totally undermines the manager as he is basically saying "you have signed a load of shite players and keep picking them for the team even though they're useless" . I'd loved to have seen the look on Ferguson's face when he saw what Keane had said

Maybe it's just bitterness from Keane that he is near the end of his career and isn't the force he was? Who knows, but anger and lashing out is never very far away when you're dealing with Keane, just ask Haaland.

I happen to agree with most of what he's said though Smith is just a very average player, not good enough to be a striker, so has just been pushed into midfield because he runs about hacking people down. O'Shea looked promising at first, but hasn't improved and has had a very average 18 months. Richardson has potential, did OK with West Brom, so maybe Keane needs to give him more of a chance. However, he's never going to be the next Giggs, and Keane is probably right in saying that he is not good enough for Manchester United (unless they're happy in mid-table). Liam Miller, I don't know why they signed him, waste of time. Darren Fletcher, Ferguson seems to think is great, but he's useless. Just been given a new contract though, along with O'Shea

Keane is right about Ferdinand too. For a long time, pretty much since the 2002 World Cup where he was excellent, Ferdinand has believed his own hype without putting in the effort to remain a top player. He is giving a load of goals away through errors and is no way worth a place in England squad or anywhere near it at present. He just likes to stroll about thinking he is great

[MickeyPaul]

I don't care what anyone says, this bloke is never going to make a decent manager. He's more likely to turn players off than motivate them and the minute things aren't going his way there'll be an almighty bust up and he'll storm off.

You talking about Keane still aye?

[Winrew]

Sounds like Komp

[A.M.P]

Thought I'd never do this is response to a Winrew post but.........



Keep up the good work buddy

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Well i have been waiting to see what it was he said.

And what is so wrong with him publicly slating them?

He said himself he has told them they better up their game but they still haven't listened so if thats the case then go on your clubs tv channel and lay into them and then maybe get a bit of sense into the underachieving players.

Man Utd are just going further and further downhill now it seems. I don't even find them entertaining to watch anymore like when i was younger.

Take Rooney out the side, who gives 110% every match, and you have a really mediocre side that would be struggling for qualification for the Uefa Cup.

[crowie]

The relationship between Keane and SAF has completely broken down IMO.

Keane used to epitomise SAF on the pitch, he was the link between the players and the manager but now he seems to be going totally against SAF's judgement. There was a supposed bust up in the summer and now this.

However, bar Rio, I can't understand why Keane has a pop at the likes of Richardson, Fletcher and Miller. FFS, Liam Miller has played started a total of 3 games for Man Utd in his career. You could ask any Celtic supporter and they would tell you Miller wouldn't hold down a place at OT considering he had one decent half season at Celtic before heading off to Man Utd. However, if Keane was honest, Liam Miller is not one of the main reasons for Utds demise is he?

Likewise, Fletcher and Richardson are at best squad players at Utd. Or rather they would have been good squad players when Utd were a strong side. Now they are playing more and more first team football in a side hit with injuries, under achievers and players past their best.

Look at tonights side - Brown, O'Shea, Fletcher, Richardson, Smith, Park. All on the pitch. Fine if it was one, maybe two tops but six?!

Maybe Keane would have been better off adding to his pop at Rio by asking why Scholes hasn't kicked a ball in 2 seasons and where performances from Ronaldo, Rooney, RVN, Giggs and Keane himself are week in week out. Yes, they may produce the odd moment of magic or good game but they are far outweighed by game after game of mediocrity from all of those players. These are the "big name" players who should be assisting and carrying the younger and not as good squad players.

Maybe Keane would be better off asking why his manager has had to change Utds traditional 4-4-2, wingers on both sides of midfield to a 4-5-1 or even a 4-3-3 (with 2 of the forward 3 forming a 5) to accomodate a fading player in the centre of the park - Roy Keane. Utd couldn't play 4-4-2 with Keane in a central 2 now and the team and tactics are being built to fit him into it.

The final question for me would be - how many of Man Utds team/squad would stake a decent claim for a place in Chelsea's first 11? Not a lot and if they meant to be challenging Chelsea then how can they when their players are in no way equal to them.

[ONEDUNME]

Brilliant Crowie. I enjoyed reading every minute of that.

A sheer masterpiece.

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Agreed ODM.

Crowie has a way with putting his points across doesn't he and you said everything spot on imo

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Kind of taking this off topic but does anyone else fancy Ferguson to get the sack in the next month or so?

I mean, if he was to lose against Chelsea this sunday i think it would be safe to completely rule them out of the title race.

Then 3rd in the CL with some tricky games coming up away to Benfica which wont be easy and then home to Villarael.

The way they are playing i actually fancy them to finish 3rd which would be a disaster for Man Utd.

If it happened then surely he would have nothing left and would be sacked. He has been playingoff his success early on now too much imo.

[Kop66]

Kind of taking this off topic but does anyone else fancy Ferguson to get the sack in the next month or so?

The papers will start pushing his departure now that's for sure.

He looked a beaten man in his post match interview tonight, his speed of thought and his speech was much slower than usual, he was struggling for the right answers and he couldn't leave fast enough.

The way they are playing i actually fancy them to finish 3rd which would be a disaster for Man Utd.

You think they are good enough to finish 3rd, i'd say 5th, way to many negatives coming out of that club and the Glazer effect is starting to kick in






'You're not famous anymore, 'You're not famous anymore'

[Swooperman]

Kiko means 3rd in the CL group I think Kop....they might be playing badly but theyt'd struggle to finish 5th in a 4 team group surely ??