Alas, don your shrouds of mourning black and shed a remorseful tear today for Roy ‘mad dog’ Keane has departed this managerial coil.Yup, while we were off piste with some work related nonsense yesterday, the now ex-Sunderland boss handed in his cards by text message and is off to walk Triggs in pastures un-footy related.
It’s not like we haven’t known it’s coming: The Jim Morrison-esque beard was certainly a sign things were going awry and never one to hold back, Keane had given some pretty strong hints over the weekend that he was living on borrowed time.
Still, in a career that’s been full of walk-outs (Ireland), bust-ups (Man Utd) and hefty challenges (the pitch), you have to admire Keane as an uncompromising, forthright individual who was determined to do everything, including his departure, on his own terms and feck the consequences.
His weekly pronouncements on the game and the people and business surrounding it were riveting if controversial reads and the footballing world is definitely a greyer, sadder and certainly less interesting place for his departure.
Few of us get to choose the manner of our leaving, but Keane has always managed to do it in his own inimitable way, and we leave you with just one of his memorable gifts to the English language “stick it up your bollox".
2 comments:
A brilliant player and captain, albeit with a questionable grasp of human anatomy judging by his most famous quote.
My favourite Keane story: 'Jack Charlton reprimanded Keane for turning up late for an Ireland team bus journey in Boston. Keane replied “I didn’t ask you to wait.” The Ireland captain, Mick McCarthy, weighed in with “Do you call that behaviour professional?” To which Keane countered “Do you call what you have a first touch?”'
(from http://www.michaelnugent.com/2008/12/04/roy-keane-leaves-sunderland/)
Great player, though strangely at the time I didn't like him very much.
I thought he was a very interesting manager though. Certainly learning his trade with Sunderland, but he was very honest and caustically ufunny. Whenever Keano opened his mouth it was always worth listening.
Some great sayings too which have entered the popular lexicon: 'Prawn sandwich brigade' and 'stick it up your bollix'
Is there a Keano the Autobiography?
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