Finally Corked: Roy's Last Season

The Ranter

There's a passage in Roy Keane's suitably frank autobiography in which, to paraphrase, the fiery Irishman admits he wasn't the best player in his junior team, not even in the school side but that in living, breathing and fighting football he succeeded on determination alone.

It's a misrepresentation of the Cork master's talents but a fitting summary of a career that is surely now drawing to a close. The Ranter looks back over a glittering career and to an end that hopefully won't drag on too long.

Born in Cork, Ireland, 10th August 1971, Roy Keane is most probably entering his final season as Manchester United captain; perhaps even his last in English football. Over the past decade he has cajoled, bullied and fought his way to the top.

His vein pumping, fist clenching all-action style has always been the surface of Keane. But below that has been a master tactician, the epitome of the modern midfielder's art - as the great Marcelo Lippi once called him, "Manchester United's heartbeat."

In the final year of his contract at Manchester United it looks increasingly likely that Keane will either retire or move on in May 2006. Keane's influence is as great as ever but successive injuries have blunted his physical abilities to the point that manager Sir Alex Ferguson has changed his side's tactics to offer the Irishman more protection.

With Keane injured until winter sets in and rumours of Michael Ballack's January arrival at the club increasingly believable, Keane could even find himself on the bench come the New Year. It is with this backdrop that the crackerjack midfielder recently announced his expectation of leaving the club at the end of the current season.

It's not been an easy ride for Keane however. The highs - numerous Premiership and FA Cup medals - have been punctuated by many lows: the missed 1999 European Cup Final, the World Cup walk out in 2002, the shattering knee injury in 1997. In between there has been a litany of reds cards and controversy, not least Keane's "revenge" on Alfe Inge Haaland in 2001.

Keane's messianic like performance in the second leg of the 1999 European Cup Semi-Final is probably the iconic moment of his career. At 2-0 down with 10 minutes gone in Juventus' fortress-like Stadio Deli Alpi, United were, to all intents and purposes, dead and buried.

Ferguson's dream shattered, the Holy Grail as far away as ever. Yet it was Keane who drove the team on to score United's opening goal, just before half time, that brought his team back into the game. The clichéd fist pumping was there for all to see but the player's knew it was more than that; that United with Keane were always in the game.

United won 3-2 and the rest, as they say, is history. Yet, like so much in Keane's career, the high was followed in equal measure by the low - a yellow card that kept Keane out of the club's 2-1 triumph in the final itself. A wrong that is never likely to be righted.

If that garnered Keane some measure of sympathy his actions in the build up to the 2002 World Cup Finals divided a nation. The context, in Keane's mind at least, was simple. Ireland were the perennial gallant losers; qualification a success in itself. The squad were there for the ride, the manager Mick McCarthy couldn't possibly lose.

Keane the consummate the winner's winner, McCarthy - in Keane's mind - not fit to manage the squad. This was car-crash television at its very best. Keane unhappy with the training facilities, the winning attitude, or lack thereof, stormed out of the Ireland camp following an expletive fuelled meeting with his managerial nemesis.

Time of course heals many wounds and in the case of Keane the villain of the piece has subsequently been viewed in a different light by the Irish public. As rash as Keane's actions were he was essentially right. An FAI inquiry said as much and more importantly the court of public opinion appears to have belatedly handed down a not-guilty verdict. This could be crucial if Keane harbours dreams of a future managerial post with the Republic.

Then there's the most controversial of the lot - that tackle on Alfe Inge Haarland back in 2001. A bad tackle for sure, a red card well deserved, but not the first or the last poor challenge ever made by a footballing "hardman". No, the real controversy only came months later with the apparent 'confession' by Keane that he intended to hurt his opponent.

The words, of course, said nothing of the sort but one interpretation could have led to that train of thought, the papers picked up on it and the FA felt compelled to act. At least that's one argument. Many other, of course, see this as a proof point of Keane's thuggishness - a fact that Radio Five Live's Alan Green made a little too forcibly for Paddy Crerand's liking one night at Old Trafford. Folklore? A digression at least!

The hope after all of this is that Keane won't drag the end out too long. No George Foremanesque 'comeback' will add to Keane's credibility. He's achieved almost all he could have done for the 'cause', for Manchester United and for himself. If as seems increasingly likely his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson does indeed retire in the summer of 2006 then Keane will surely find himself on the sidelines - contract extended or not.

Football is a cynical business, and Manchester United is the cynical club. The fans love the legends but there's a line between that pantheon and the also-ran. Keane has his place in that most holy sanctuary secured and like Cantona before him his interest is served most by bowing out at the top.

Goodbye, Roy, and thanks for all the prawns!

Fact File

Roy Keane

Born: 10 Aug 1971, Cork, Ireland
Signed: 19 July 1993, from Nottingham Forest
Fee: £3.75million
Previous Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Cobh Ramblers
Debut: 7 Aug 1993 v Arsenal - Charity Shield
International: Republic of Ireland, 67 caps, 9 goals
Statistics: Manchester United

Apps (As sub) Goals Yellow Red

Total (Club) 479 (19) 51 88 13
League 326 (17) 33 65 9
European 93 (1) 16 13 2
FA Cup 46 (1) 2 9 2
League Cup 14 (0) 0 1

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