Friday, November 18, 2005

Keano, i will miss u! Your traits and characters are beyond any comprehensions!

Keane 'unique' for United - PFA
The dramatic end to Roy Keane's Manchester United career was swiftly followed by warm tributes to the Irishman.

Keane ended a 12-year association with United today when he left the club by mutual consent.
The Professional Footballers' Association lauded the 34-year-old's contribution to the Old Trafford club, with deputy chief executive Mick McGuire declaring Keane would be a hard act to follow.
'He's been a magnificent player for the club and has been as instrumental as any player in ensuring that United have been a leading club in the Premiership and have achieved so much in the last decade,' said McGuire.
'He is unique and he's going to be very, very difficult to replace.'
Real Madrid's David Beckham was shocked and surprised by Keane's exit. The England captain played alongside Keane throughout his career at United and said the Irishman had been the most inspirational player he had played with.
'I'm shocked that he has left because I thought he'd be there for a few more years and I thought that he'd maybe go into coaching there,' said Beckham on Friday.
'It's his decision of course and everyone will respect that, but people now have to look at what he's done at Manchester United. Over his 12 years he's won everything in club football.'
'I played with him for so many years at United and he was one of the most inspirational captains and players I've ever played with,' said Beckham.
'He's a player that will lead from the front and get a team going. You always know where you stand with him which is good. He'll tell you if you are doing something wrong and he'll tell you when you've done something right in his own special way.'
'Every player who plays with him can't speak highly enough of him and every player who plays against him always has something to say about him.'
Former United and Republic of Ireland striker Frank Stapleton believes Keane's recent criticism of team-mates in an MUTV programme, which was considered so strong that the show was pulled from the schedules, was 'at the centre' of the mutual decision to quit.
'In some ways I'm surprised and in other ways I'm not,' Stapleton told Sky Sports.
'It is a reaction to what happened a few weeks ago, when he criticised his team-mates publicly, plus a combination of the fact that maybe they weren't ready to renew his contract at the end of the season.
'He probably said 'I'll go now rather than wait'.
'The programme is the centre of this. Just before (the pulled MUTV programme) he had said he didn't think he'd be at the club after this season maybe to force them into giving him a contract.
'At this stage of his career Roy knows it is very straightforward. He wouldn't have thought twice about saying 'right, let's call it a day now, let's move on' and the club have obviously made the decision not to renew his contract.
'In the period that he has been there he has had unbelievable success. But in my mind no player has ever been bigger than Manchester United. The club will go on and look to get stronger.'
Another former United player, Lou Macari, was shocked by the news. 'It's a real bolt out of the blue. I've always thought of Roy Keane as a major part of Manchester United,' he said.
'There is always a place for Roy Keane in the team, and it is only when the likes of Keane, Paul Scholes and the Nevilles have all gone that people will realise their value.
'Trying to replace Roy Keane is almost impossible and no matter what Roy will say over the next few weeks and months ahead, Roy will be gutted that he is no longer a Manchester United player.'
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was taken aback at the news but does not expect the announcement to mark the end of Keane's playing career.
'It's a big surprise to let him go in the middle of the season,' the Frenchman told BBC Radio Five Live.
'It looked like he was a bit upset recently. Why, I don't know.
'You must know what is going inside the club to judge that.'
Wenger observed that Keane no longer has the physical attributes which made him a fearsome opponent in his late twenties, but added: 'He's still an influential (team) member when he plays and has a huge football brain.'
As for whether Keane may return to the game in the Premiership, with one of United's rivals, Wenger said: 'I wouldn't be surprised.'
But Keane's destination will not be Highbury, where Wenger has invested considerable trust in a young midfield this season.
'At the moment, no. We have put our confidence in our players and will keep doing that,' he said.
Nicky Butt, Keane's former midfield partner who is now at Birmingham, believes the Irishman will be remembered as a leader.
He told Sky Sports: 'He was one of the best players the club has ever had. And he was a leader - that's how he will be remembered.'
However he denied he was irreplaceable, adding: 'Ten years ago you could have said that about Bryan Robson.'

Manchester United statement on Roy Keane
'Manchester United has today reached agreement with Roy Keane for Roy to leave the club with immediate effect.

'The agreement allows Roy to sign a long term deal with another club to enable him to secure his playing career beyond what would have been the end of his contract at United in the summer.
'The club has offered Roy a testimonial in recognition of his 12 years at Old Trafford.
'The club thanks Roy for his major contribution to the Club during his years of service.'
Manager Sir Alex 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 years and everyone at Old Trafford wishes him well in the rest of his career and beyond.'
Chief executive David Gill said: 'Roy has been a towering figure at the club for over a decade. His dedication, talent and leadership have been qualities that have marked him out as one of the true greats. On behalf of everyone at the club, we wish him every success in his future career.'
Roy 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.'


Roy Keane has sensationally left Manchester United by mutual consent, the club announced today.

Sir Alex Ferguson with his former skipper.
A statement released by the Old Trafford outfit confirmed that their long-serving captain has departed with immediate effect after it became clear that his future at the club was untenable.
The 34-year-old's representative Michael Kennedy met United chief executive David Gill at Old Trafford to thrash out details of Keane's severance, completing one of the most dramatic departures Manchester United has ever known.
The announcement comes less than three weeks after Keane's amazing outburst at his team-mates during an MUTV interview so damning that it was deemed 'unbroadcastable'.
Sir Alex Ferguson was known to be furious at the timing and verocity of the personal attacks contained within the interview and publicly rebuked his skipper prior to the win over Chelsea on November 6.
Once the depth of Ferguson's feeling was known it became clear that Keane had no future at the club.
A previous offer for a testimonial in recognition of the Irishman's 12-and-a-half years at Old Trafford has been confirmed in writing but Keane will not be at the club in an official capacity if he decides to take the offer up.
'It has been a great honour and privilege to play for Manchester United for 12 years,' said Keane.
'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.'
Keane had already cast doubt over his long-term future at United earlier this season when, in a live phone-in, he said he believed that his current contract, which was due to expire at the end of this season, would be his last.
The statement astounded Ferguson and Gill who believed they had a verbal agreement in place to discuss the Cork-born star's future later in the year.
Almost immediately speculation surfaced that he would join Celtic in the summer, and in their official statement United have today made it clear that Keane is now free to sign 'a long-term deal with another club to enable him to secure his playing career beyond what would have been the end of his contract at United in the summer'.
While the relationship between Ferguson and Keane, which has proved to be such a bedrock of United's success down the years, has now been broken apparently beyond repair but the United manager, who breezed through this morning's media sessions without mentioning the dramatic developments about to unfold, was quick to pay tribute to Keane's contribution.
'Roy Keane has been a fantastic servant for Manchester United,' said Ferguson.
'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.'
The last of Keane's 326 league appearances for United came at Anfield in September when he broke his foot late in the goalless draw with Liverpool.
The Irishman is thought to be close to a return to action although where it will be is now open to major debate.
Throughout his many triumphs at Old Trafford since his £3.75million arrival from Nottingham Forest in 1993 probably his greatest performance came in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Juventus in 1999 when he virtually singlehandedly rescued United from the brink of defeat to steer them into the final for the first time in 31 years.
His Herculean efforts came at a cost though as a booking picked up in the game meant he was suspended for the final, ensuring he missed United's greatest day in his time at the club.
'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,' said Keane.
'At all times I have endeavoured to do my best for the management and the team.'
Never one to hold back when he felt standards were slipping Keane's frustration at United's current fall from grace has been evident for a while.
His annoyance is made worse by the knowledge he is no longer capable of rousing the Red Devils as he has done so often in the past.
Although many of United's fans were in agreement with his damning assessment of the current side's qualities, most would also acknowledge his direct criticism of individual players crossed the boundaries of acceptability.
It was left to Gill to administer the last rites on Keane's time at the club.
'Roy has been a towering figure at the club for over a decade,' said Gill.
'His dedication, talent and leadership have been qualities that have marked him out as one of the true greats.
'On behalf of everyone at the club we wish him every success in his future career.

Naruto @ Friday, November 18, 2005

ramens with extra chili sauce~yumms.