Keano vs The Wags

Drag00n79

Taken from Wednesday's Daily Mail:

Roy Keane last night launched a scathing attack on 'weak' footballers who allow their wives and girlfriends to make key decisions about their playing careers.
The Sunderland manager claims that he has missed out on players this summer because the city does not have enough clothes shops!

Chris Baird, David Nugent and Leighton Baines snubbed Keane after he had agreed fees with their clubs and yesterday the former Manchester United captain unleashed his wrath as his frustration spilled over — sparing nobody in a scattergun attack.
He said: "If someone doesn't want to come to Sunderland then all well and good. But if they don't want to come to Sunderland because their wife wants to go shopping in London then it's a sad state of affairs.
"Greed will always be a part of the game but this side of it, with the women running the show, concerns me and worries me. Maybe it shouldn't, really, because the players I'm talking about are soft anyway. Maybe I'm not a great shopper. Football has got to be the priority, it has got to be the attraction.
"You don't need to live in London or Manchester to be happy. You don't need to be surrounded by expensive shops or fancy cars — that's the point I'm making.
"What is your priority? Your wife and her shopping, money or your football? Unfortunately, that's what is influencing a lot of footballers' decisions.
"We've had one or two this year and that's a concern to me, but then we can't do too much about it so you can't worry too much.
"That is clearly part of the package and although they won't say it to you, you know that's what they are thinking because they say 'I need to speak to my wife and . . . blah blah blah'. So straight away it is not to be.
"You think to yourself, 'Well, your priorities are not the same as mine'. It hasn't happened that many times but I've seen it throughout my career.
"There have been one or two examples that I have experienced as a manager here. I'm sure others have experienced it.
"First and foremost, they are footballers. I'm not trying to make a big thing of it, but people are asking me about bringing people in and talking about character, but priorities have changed for footballers and they are being dictated to by their wives and girlfriends. There is just no getting away from that."

Keane also feels that the problem is not confined solely to the north east, which has traditionally fought an image problem as clubs there seek to attract the game's big-name players. Now he believes cash-rich clubs in London are attracting players for no other reason than a player's wife or girlfriend's desires to shop in the capital.
"I can understand the attraction of people wanting to go to London if you are talking about the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham maybe, but there are players going to clubs in London simply because it's London," he said. "To me that is wrong.
"It is not a football move. It is a lifestyle move, and those are the type of people you don't want at your club anyway so it is not a problem — but it is a fact.
"To me, that player is weak because his wife runs his life. That happens at the big clubs, too. I could name three or four big players now, and clearly their wives and girlfriends are running their lives because they are doing these photo-shoots and all that kind of stuff.
"They say they are not comfortable doing it — well don't do it. Obviously, it is their partners doing it and they are being dragged along. And these so-called big stars are people we are supposed to be looking up to. Well, they are weak. They are soft."
Keane revealed he came close to joining Juventus towards the end of his Old Trafford career and those trying to persuade him to move to Italy mistakenly used the glamour of Milan in a bid to entice him abroad.
He said: "A couple of years ago I nearly went to Juventus. People spoke to me about Turin and said it is this and that, ooh Milan would be nicer. But I replied: 'I am not going there for the bloody shops, I'm going because it's Juventus. I don't want to go to bloody Milan'.
"It's a footballing decision. If there is nothing to do then find something to do because people who are bored are boring. Someone once told me that. People who get bored coming up to the north east — they're bored because they're boring. It's nothing to do with the shops. It's bloody true."
Yet, Keane, who has signed eight players during the summer break and has designs on at least two more, has insisted they and their families will be given the red carpet treatment if they decide to join his club.
"If a player wants to come here to play for Sunderland, because we think we are a top football club, then fantastic," he said.
"And we'll do our best for their families — but we have had a player this summer who didn't even ring us back because his wife wanted to move to London. He didn't even have the courtesy to pick up the phone to us.
"And shopping was mentioned. It might astonish many people, but it's true."
"If you retire at 35 or 36 years of age you can live wherever you bloody well like; London, Monaco, wherever. Any half-decent footballer will be a multi-millionaire anyway, so it is a concern. I think it's weak. Weak!
"You can see it with a couple of big players now. Clearly their wives and girlfriends are running their lives and that is a bad sign."


Clearly, Roy is getting frustrated at trying to attract players to the club but he is dead right. A lot of players need to get their head out of their arse and remember what their profession is instead of having their career decisions being made for them by celeb & fame-obsessed wives/gfs.

DSB

Why would anyone pick football over the people they love most in the world? Roy Keane needs to get over himself.

ronbyrne2005

DSB wrote:

Why would anyone pick football over the people they love most in the world? Roy Keane needs to get over himself.

He's hardly asking them to leave their wives and move abroad. London is easily accesible from anywhere in England by plane train or luxury car for this wags who do little else during their week. Footballers careers are short and if you want to achieve your best you have to make small sacrifices and your wife wanting to dictate your career over things like shopping is a joke. Sport is about competition and if a competitor is so easily dissuaded from undertaking competitive moves to achieve his best then he is weak AS A COMPETITOR.

Zebra3

Can we please have the acronym WAGs removed from this forum?

It's football here, not the "Best of Hello" forum. :rolleyes:

Mr Alan

stinks of bitterness to me. Not suprising. Why would Baines etc pick Sunderland over established Premiership teams?! Sunderland are newarly promoted and the signings they've made, hardly inspire confidence that they can stay up. Questioning their dedication to their teams and the sport in general is a bit low to me.

Some of wat he says i agree with, as in players just wanting to be big time Charlies etc, but he should have pointed out that none of the players he tried to sign really fall into that catagory.

_blank_

Zebra3 wrote:

Can we please have the acronym WAGs removed from this forum?

It's football here, not the "Best of Hello" forum. :rolleyes:

Have a look here man, you'll be in your element.

Sizzler

DSB wrote:

Why would anyone pick football over the people they love most in the world? Roy Keane needs to get over himself.

He's bang on. These lads are pro-footballers and have a very enviable job on mind boggling wages. If they are looking to move to London (for example) just for the nightlife and shopping or because they were *told* to then you have to ask questions about how seriously they take their profession.

Its a relatively short lived career and even more so when you consider players dont generally stay at clubs for more than 3 years so its hardly an inconvenience to go to somewhere like Sunderland :rolleyes:

Mr Alan

as you said, its a relatively short career, so why would a player like Leighton Baines possibly pick Sunderland (who may be in the Championship next year) over Everton (who definately will be playing premiership football)?!!??! Someone please explain to me how Sunderland would be a better choice?

zAbbo

Classic Keane, taking the heat off the team before a big game.

gucci

in fairness all of us non professional footballers who get stick from our girlfriends etc over missing family/other events because of football are bit different to professionals. Id say a good few of us here have had to make sacrifices and move to different towns, countries for employment/education. but as is stated above players may be opting to stick with the relatively "safer" clubs for a season or two to see how they fair.

oh and for what its worth, milan is a complete **** hole unless you live about an hour outside it

PHB

So the mindgames begin, I love it. He's gona be a top class manager. Nobody is talking about how this is a 6 pointer, nobody is talking about how they just scored in the 95th minute, they are just talking about this. Remind you of anybody

Dave!

I'd be concerned if the players didn't consult their wives and kids before making a decision that would affect their future. That doesn't mean they have to dictate the decision, but if they're married... you're kinda supposed to talk about this sh*t and not make unilateral decisions......

Mr Alan

Mind games? He has insulted three professional players who rejected a move to the club he manages? accusing them of being in football for the wrong reasons, lacking commitment etc. Does nobody else think this is bad form!!?!?

Fratton Fred

Sorry, but this is a job to most footballers. If you had a decent well paid job in Cork say and you came home one night and told your wife and kids you were moving to Derry, and because the job is not as safe, you have had to sign an agreement that if they go down you will take a 20% pay cut, how much nookie would you expect to be getting for the next week or so:D

(No disrespect to Derry, I use them for goegraphic reasons).

masterK

Keane's bang on, too many footballers are concerned with things other than football. He wasn't talking about choosing football over family, he meant peoples who's wives are so stuck up that couldn't allow themselves to be seen in somewhere like Sunderland, the whole "Oh my god, if I broke a nail there wouldn't be a beauty parlor for miles" brigade.

Loomis

millersangel wrote:

Mind games? He has insulted three professional players who rejected a move to the club he manages? accusing them of being in football for the wrong reasons, lacking commitment etc. Does nobody else think this is bad form!!?!?

Anyone saying "the wife wants the better shops" is a load of **** and deserves to have strips torn off them

Mr Alan

Yea, I agree with that alright.

BUT
Baines going to Everton with him being from Liverpool doesn't exactly sound like that to me.

Either does Nugent, choosing a team pushing for Europe last year, and strenghtened big time in the summer.

Only sounds like sour grapes to me.

kaisersose77

did he mention Baines etc?................No

Bound to be one of those players who turned him down but there would be an awful lot more players who he tried to buy and wasnt mentioned in the papers. A lot of players wouldnt want to relocate to Manchester/Liverpool nevermind Sunderland. Theres a very slim chance of a player in their prime playing at AC Milan/Barcelona/R.Madrid wanting to come to Man Utd for example. Baines was going to go to nobody but a club close to Liverpool, and Keane would have known that when he spoke to him. Keane would be better off without players who have second thoughts about moving there, as they'll be looking to leave sooner or later. Fair play to Dwight Yorke for moving there as he would be the last player you would think would move to an area like that judging by what you see of him in the papers.

BaZmO*

I think he's dead right. He doesn't seem to be bitter about them not coming to Sunderland he seems to be just p1ssed at the excuse they are giving for not coming.

Fair enough if they think Sunderland are a sh1te team but to say that my wife/girlfriend thinks the shops are sh1te is a God awful reason to give.

This is gonna be a great season for Keane rants!

Spud83

kaisersose77 wrote:

Fair play to Dwight Yorke for moving there as he would be the last player you would think would move to an area like that judging by what you see of him in the papers.

In fairness he was stuck playing in a crap league in Australia, where he by far and away the best player in the league, yet his celbrity didn't mean much as soccer is the third/forth sport over there compared to AFL, Rugby League, and Rugby Union.

ntlbell

PHB wrote:

So the mindgames begin, I love it. He's gona be a top class manager. Nobody is talking about how this is a 6 pointer, nobody is talking about how they just scored in the 95th minute, they are just talking about this. Remind you of anybody

He is a genuis IMO, look at how Roy deals with the media and compare it to the joke that stauton is in the same situation.

Not only is he taken the heat off the 6 pointer or the fact they scored in the 95th minute, not only is he slating players that have turned him down and planting a seed for any players who might do in the future he also gets in a lovley few jabs about David Beckham AND AND AND warns his players about fancy car talk etc etc.

He is truly a work of art.

Even Ditzy Brenda whats her face from newstalk had it up for discussion this morning.

genuis.

ntlbell

millersangel wrote:

Yea, I agree with that alright.

BUT
Baines going to Everton with him being from Liverpool doesn't exactly sound like that to me.

Either does Nugent, choosing a team pushing for Europe last year, and strenghtened big time in the summer.

Only sounds like sour grapes to me.

It sounds like sour grapes to you because your missing the point why he's talking about it on Tuesday the 14th Augusut.

Fratton Fred

ntlbell wrote:

He is a genuis IMO, look at how Roy deals with the media and compare it to the joke that stauton is in the same situation.

Not only is he taken the heat off the 6 pointer or the fact they scored in the 95th minute, not only is he slating players that have turned him down and planting a seed for any players who might do in the future he also gets in a lovley few jabs about David Beckham AND AND AND warns his players about fancy car talk etc etc.

He is truly a work of art.

Even Ditzy Brenda whats her face from newstalk had it up for discussion this morning.

genuis.

In fairness, Keano farts and it makes news here.:rolleyes:

rahim

BaZmO* wrote:

I think he's dead right. He doesn't seem to be bitter about them not coming to Sunderland he seems to be just p1ssed at the excuse they are giving for not coming.

Fair enough if they think Sunderland are a sh1te team but to say that my wife/girlfriend thinks the shops are sh1te is a God awful reason to give.

I seriously doubt they gave that as a reason to Keane for not signing, and he doesn't even mention it as something that directly affected him. He could just be saying it's something he sees as wrong in football at the moment.

In a way he is right, it is a silly reason to sign/not sign for a club but as was said before, moving your life to a new location is something that you would have to talk over with your wife etc.
Keane's best point was saying that football is a short career, when you retire you can live anywhere you like.

Theboinkmaster

ntlbell wrote:

He is a genuis IMO, look at how Roy deals with the media and compare it to the joke that stauton is in the same situation.

Not only is he taken the heat off the 6 pointer or the fact they scored in the 95th minute, not only is he slating players that have turned him down and planting a seed for any players who might do in the future he also gets in a lovley few jabs about David Beckham AND AND AND warns his players about fancy car talk etc etc.

He is truly a work of art.

Even Ditzy Brenda whats her face from newstalk had it up for discussion this morning.

genuis.

Agreed he is a genius and I have a completely hetro man-crush on keane - legend :cool:

Mr Alan

No- it sounds like sour grapes to me because he is slating players who chose better clubs than Sunderland (for the right reasons) in order to deflect attention away from his team. Not exactly an admirable thing to do IMO.

The players he is slating (or hinting at the players) all seem like good pros and excellent players to me and its not fair to label them like he is doing.

But lets be honest, he is hardly a standup type of bloke is he!?

Not interested in all the Keanites coming out of the woodwork to defend the bloke. Amazing player, horrible person. Simple as.

I hope Birmingham hammer em tonight

ntlbell

millersangel wrote:

No- it sounds like sour grapes to me because he is slating players who chose better clubs than Sunderland (for the right reasons) in order to deflect attention away from his team. Not exactly an admirable thing to do IMO.

The players he is slating (or hinting at the players) all seem like good pros and excellent players to me and its not fair to label them like he is doing.

But lets be honest, he is hardly a standup type of bloke is he!?

Not interested in all the Keanites coming out of the woodwork to defend the bloke. Amazing player, horrible person. Simple as.

I hope Birmingham hammer em tonight

TBH you sound sound soft and weak.

ntlbell

Fratton Fred wrote:

In fairness, Keano farts and it makes news here.:rolleyes:

Well people obviously like the smell of them

Mr Alan

ha ha ha good point(me being soft and weak!?!?!)

Mitch Connor

millersangel wrote:

as you said, its a relatively short career, so why would a player like Leighton Baines possibly pick Sunderland (who may be in the Championship next year) over Everton (who definately will be playing premiership football)?!!??! Someone please explain to me how Sunderland would be a better choice?

Why Baines?

Everton is not in london, and whenever Keane has been asked abot Baines he said he is a good lad and has gone to the club he has supported, and fair play to him for it, good luck etc. Keane has never come close to criticising Baines for going to Everton, but you are throwing him in here because it suits you in you goal to slag him off. Nugent has not been mentioned by Keane either, so don't make the assumption that is who Keane is talking about.

We don't know who Keane is talking about, or even if there are many specific cases (apart from the player who didn't even call them to say no, and wanted to move to london so his wife could shop)

Personally, if i was a footballer i would chose the club i signed for on the basis of the type of club, the club facilities and the ambition/potential of the club. I wouldn't base my choice on the location of the club alone, ie - i wouldn't ONLY sign for a london club and discount everywhere else off hand.

quad_red

millersangel wrote:

Not interested in all the Keanites coming out of the woodwork to defend the bloke. Amazing player, horrible person. Simple as.

It must be terrible for you watching all the 'Keanites' (:rolleyes: ) crawling out the woodwork.

Good thing you're not interested in it and can tell us all what you think. Not that you're biased or anything.

I'm agree with PHB - a nice move that has the RedTops salivating and takes pressure off the team. Maybe an implicit validation of his team saying they've shown that football matters most to them and it's time to take on the 'big time charlies' etc.?

I don't think it's bitterness on Keane's part either. In this book, he makes clear that it is a player's right to do what's best for himself and his career. He is dismayed by player's who don't relish a fight and who prioritise the WAG lifestyle in choosing a club.

jank

Agree what he says for the most part.
Footballers now should be given a kick up the arse. They are footballers not demi-gods!

ntlbell

millersangel wrote:

ha ha ha good point(me being soft and weak!?!?!)

Sorry by soft and weak I meant sensitive and gurly.

Keane is annoyed at the super star status some of these players have, this is not news, he gave richardson a serious drilling at united when after losing a game he came in talking about a new car.

Keane has let his thoughts be known on this back since david beckham who if you read the article carefully it's ultimatley about him.

So I don't see your point, keane lashes out at weak footballers, you as a liverpool fan think he's been harsh and are obviously upset a fellow mans feelings may have been hurt even tho he hasn't mentioned any names.

Keane didn't play for Liverpool, I know it's hard to accept but let it go, move on and find a place for him your heart.

_blank_

millersangel wrote:

players who chose better clubs than Sunderland

There are no better clubs than Sunderland tbh.

millersangel wrote:

I hope Birmingham hammer em tonight

Better watch out, there are certain elements round these parts that won't like this.:rolleyes:

BaZmO*

DesF wrote:

Better watch out, there are certain elements round these parts that won't like this.:rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Build a fvcking bridge...

MisterAnarchy

Roy is dead right.
Most of those wives would be on the scrap heap without their husbands huge pay check.

Mr Alan

Tauren, the article quoted says that it was an attack on Nugent, Baines and Baird, If it wasn't then i have no issue and agree with a lot of wat he said.

Ntbell, nice work with the name calling. Good thing i ain't a backseat mod, get des in here! So he gave Richardson a drilling and then signed him?

this is nothing to do with Liverpool, just don't like Keane and don't like all the Keane worship that goes on. typical example-when Chopra scored the winner on Sat, pretty sure Martin Tyler said something along the lines of 'roy keane has done it', or 'only roy keane could've done that' . . sorry , but say again!?!?!?

Spud83

millersangel wrote:

So he gave Richardson a drilling and then signed him?

He gave Richardson a drilling while he was at UTD. Why? Well because Richardson wasn't good enough for UTD and Keane knew that. Is a good enough for Sunderland a newly promoted side? Well Keane thinks so and after the job he done for WBA he probably is. Keane knows exactly how good Richardson is and if he was the manager of a bigger club with a better side he wouldn't touch him.

ntlbell

millersangel wrote:

Ntbell, nice work with the name calling. Good thing i ain't a backseat mod, get des in here! So he gave Richardson a drilling and then signed him?

I don't see how pointing out your attitude to roy's thought is overvly sensitive and girly? name calling?

It would be a different story if I was telling lies.

Mr Alan

alanmurphy83 wrote:

He gave Richardson a drilling while he was at UTD. Why? Well because Richardson wasn't good enough for UTD and Keane knew that. Is a good enough for Sunderland a newly promoted side? Well Keane thinks so and after the job he done for WBA he probably is. Keane knows exactly how good Richardson is and if he was the manager of a bigger club with a better side he wouldn't touch him.

According to someones earlier post, he gave Richardson stick because of his attitude, talking about his new car after a defeat, as opposed to him not being good enough.

Wats more likely is that Keane has taken on Richardson despite his poor attitude because he knows he is gonna be a good addition to the side.

BaZmO*

millersangel wrote:

According to someones earlier post, he gave Richardson stick because of his attitude, talking about his new car after a defeat, as opposed to him not being good enough.

Wats more likely is that Keane has taken on Richardson despite his poor attitude because he knows he is gonna be a good addition to the side.

Or maybe Richardson has realised, after the reality check of being dropped by Utd., that he needs to change his attitude if he wants to succeed in football?

Mr Alan

yea, thats possible too.

ntlbell

millersangel wrote:

According to someones earlier post, he gave Richardson stick because of his attitude, talking about his new car after a defeat, as opposed to him not being good enough.

Wats more likely is that Keane has taken on Richardson despite his poor attitude because he knows he is gonna be a good addition to the side.

Why are you continuing to pick holes? richardson gave united 110% during every game that 110% was never going to be good enough for united.

The point with richardson was he couldn't understand why richardson was not hurt and how he could be talking about a car, richardson is a young enough player and he was even younger at the time he obviously responded well to keane's drilling and has learnt from it and why he was so keen to go to sunderland to play under him knowing he wouldn't get an easy ride, knowing there would be no wag lifestyle tolerated there, which shows a lot of charecther from both roy keane and richardson.

so again, stop trying to pick holes, roy keane is as close to footballing perfection there is, you can't pick holes in perfection, if you want to look at footballer's or managers with holes take a closer look to home.

Tha Gopher

Incidentally they had Kieran Richardsons cousin on that ITV morning show today (yer one of Big Brother, the mouthy Sarf Landan skanger who you still probably would , she was asked re her cousins move there and the apparent opinion the wags had of the town, she said that Sunderland was a great town for shopping and she would love to live there.

I apologise for even bringing this up. Ban me please, the above shows even the Pre approval Soccer Access system doesnt work

As someone said though, Ive a feeling Keane might become the Strachan of the South this season in terms of media putdowns/quotes, I cant wait

_blank_

Tha Gopher wrote:

Incidentally they had Kieran Richardsons cousin on that ITV morning show today (yer one of Big Brother, the mouthy Sarf Landan skanger who you still probably would , she was asked re her cousins move there and the apparent opinion the wags had of the town, she said that Sunderland was a great town for shopping and she would love to live there.

Erm, thanks for that post. Sponsored by the Sunderland Shoppers Alliance was it?

And, no. I wouldn't.:eek:

Spud83

Tha Gopher wrote:

As someone said though, Ive a feeling Keane might become the Strachan of the South this season in terms of media putdowns/quotes, I cant wait

I dont think so his pre/post match interviews are normally very boring and this is where Strachan was the best. Its always all credit to the players, need to move on, long way to go, etc etc.. This is just a typical Keane comment that is being read into too much, by the Irish media because its Keane, and the English press because they love there WAGS.

Mr Alan

ntlbell wrote:

so again, stop trying to pick holes, roy keane is as close to footballing perfection there is, you can't pick holes in perfection, if you want to look at footballer's or managers with holes take a closer look to home.

if wat you said about Richardson, is true, fair play to him.
I think he'll do well there anyway (hence why i have him in the fantasy football!)

But the above paragraph sums up my annoyance with the whole Keane situation. Footballing perfection?!!? He was an excellent player, granted, but perfection?! If he was perfection, wat was Zidane, God?!
Plus in management wat has he done?! Spent a load of money and did really well to get Sunderland promoted. then they won a game in the 95th minute. Thats us up to speed of his managerial career, but, to you he is perfection?!?!?! He says himself, he has is unproven as a manager. did well last year, but thats only one year.

as for looking footballers and managers with holes?! Dont't even wanna know what you're talking about there :eek:

Mr Alan

yea right des

smcelhinney

millersangel wrote:

as for looking footballers and managers with holes?! Dont't even wanna know what you're talking about there :eek:

pi!$$ed myself laughing at that..

Tha Gopher

DesF wrote:

Erm, thanks for that post. Sponsored by the Sunderland Shoppers Alliance was it?

And, no. I wouldn't.:eek:

I gave my apology didnt I?:D

Mitch Connor

millersangel wrote:

Tauren, the article quoted says that it was an attack on Nugent, Baines and Baird, If it wasn't then i have no issue and agree with a lot of wat he said.

Ntbell, nice work with the name calling. Good thing i ain't a backseat mod, get des in here! So he gave Richardson a drilling and then signed him?

this is nothing to do with Liverpool, just don't like Keane and don't like all the Keane worship that goes on. typical example-when Chopra scored the winner on Sat, pretty sure Martin Tyler said something along the lines of 'roy keane has done it', or 'only roy keane could've done that' . . sorry , but say again!?!?!?

Ah now - you should no better then to be lead by the a newspaper headline/byline/introduction.

How many times have you seen headlines such as the recent "Fergie tells Jose to shut it", and then read the article and seen fergie actually said something along the lines of "Jose is right to keep to himself a bit more, he was getting into trouble last season".

Read what the person in question has actually said, not the newspapers explanation of it, and decide for yourself what he means.