Keane Announces Retirement

Washout · 12-02-2003 9:40am

Id be interested to know how many of you now Keane Bashing people hoped he would come back to play for us?

Roy Keane has been a magnificent payer for this country (probably the greatest irish player of all time)and thats the way he SHOULD be rememebered but alas this is not going to be the case.

Xterminator · 12-02-2003 10:18am

Personally i wish Keane all the best.
When he played for Ireland he did his best.

i think he was by far the biggest single influence in our getting to the last world cup. I think he has been the engine of our side for years.

Even the acrimonious spats he had , including saipan have helped irish football, by changing the attitude of the 'suits' who travelled first class with the players in coach seats. Thanks largely to Keane the FAI were exposed as tourists on junkets, and some level of professionalism has been/will be implemented.

I know a considerable no. of Irish fans expected him to come back, but his career as a footballer is short enough, and I dont begrudge him an extra year or two at the top.
(Besides he did promise to come to Celtic when his united contract expires

)

Nice one Roy, thanks for the memories!

X

PiE · 12-02-2003 10:20am

Originally posted by Washout
Id be interested to know how many of you now Keane Bashing people hoped he would come back to play for us?

All of us? Maybe, just maybe, that's why some of us are annoyed at him? Cos he lead us to believe he WAS returning?

Cork · 12-02-2003 10:31am

The contribution that Roy has made has been immense.

I think that - there is a risk of injury - he was right.

I think without Roy - they'd be no genises report.

Watch the Programme on FAI - Thursay night - Primetime.

dougal · 12-02-2003 10:35am

What really galls me is that it was Fergusons decision not Keane's.
Especially as Ferguson will be making millions tax free out of this country over the next couple of years!
You'd think he would be a little bit more gracious to us!!

irishgeo · 12-02-2003 10:38am

Keane was the best irish player ever despite his flaws.

If it was not for Keane would we not have the Genises report and it would not tell us what a bunch of muppets the FAI.

The FAI are useless and keane got tired of saying he only wants the best for ireland which i my honest opinion he did. Keane is everything a manager would want in a team and Kerr while disapointed can at least get on with the job of managing the team without Keane's name popping up at every news conference.

Aslo as Keane is now retired it will be the end of we would have done better with Keane after evry match

Keane is gettting old and taking longer to get over injuries so it is natural that every player would want to play longer at his cub where he gets paid.

So Mr Keane thank you for everything you did for Ireland, thank you for getting us to the World Cup,sorry you had to sacrafice your big moment to show to us how inept the FAI are and enjoy your international retirement and enjoy watching tonights game.

Just for the record i support Liverpool.

ciano · 12-02-2003 10:40am

Fu<k him! Hes just a knacker. Ireland are a far better football team with him but I think we're a better team (ie players that want to put on the green jersey) without him.

Maybe now we'll see some new young midfielders getting a chance. The likes of Sean Thornton, Michael Keane, Colin Healy and Wes Hoolahan to name just a few.

j. p harristarr · 12-02-2003 10:53am

keane was a great player, did alot for irish football and doesn't deserve all this s**t. he hinted he might come back before he career threatening operation which kept him out for about 4 months. he also missed nearly a full season with a cruciate. give him a break. the 6 or 7 'little' matches are a big deal when they involve travelling to russia, georgia etc.
ferguson said well before keane's meeting with kerr that he was against keane coming back yet keane still said he would like to come back. i think it was a genuine medical excuse. irwin retired prematurely, aldridge, houghton due to Fai/mccarthy. at least keane had the nerve to expose them for the muppets they are.
good luck to keane.

Sposs · 12-02-2003 10:53am

Nice of him to delay his decision until after his book :mad:

Anyway we shouldn't be too hard on him after all he qualfied us for the World Cup,let's just remember him for the great games he played for Ireland and not all this crap now.

The Team Will be fine after all Brian Kerr has won european championships with players not as half as good as the ones he has now.

The Futures Bright the Futures green.

s8n · 12-02-2003 11:04am

BTW all those "fans" who chanted "keano keano" when the Swiss beat us ... what do you say now???

umm keano keano

Waylander · 12-02-2003 11:28am

First of all in Saipan Roy Keane was sent home by the manager, He did NOT just get up and leave, as have the ignorant twats who have never contributed to the soccer froum before have tried to declare in this thread. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with people browsing a new forum, but when they all decide to post en masse about a subject they have not researched it posses me off. Secondly Roy Keane never said he would play for Ireland again if Mick Mc Carthy left, what he said was he would never play for Mick Mc Carthy again. Seeing as he had already announced he was retiring after the world cup this surely cant have been too much of a shock. Thirdly, anyone who thinks that Roy lets Alex Fergusin make his decisions for him has further proven that they do not have a f*cking clue what they are talking about. He is his own man and always will be.

Regarding the six or seven extra games a year if you look at this in context it will make a difference to your opinion. For example the next two qualifiers will make the difference between 5 games or seven games in a thirty day period. A difference on average of a game every six days or every four days. At the business end of the season this makes a masssive difference.

Good riddance to the women-beating traitor, Keane is scum of the highest order who never wanted to be at the World Cup and is only interested in his bank ballance.

Super Furry you are exactly who I was talking about earlier with your f*cking ridiculos statements. The women beating one does not even deserve a reply. Of course he is concerned about his bank balance and why should he be. Finally if he was never interested in going to aor being at the world cup why did he burst his balls winning MOTM awards in almost all the qualifiers. Pull your head out of your arse man.

The Reaper · 12-02-2003 11:36am

ah well there ya go he aint comin back! ah well we didn expect to keep him forever did we

blackadder · 12-02-2003 11:36am

..beyond words.

this really does show what an interfering, bullying little thug feguson is and what a vile, craven, repulsive amoral multinational man utd incorporate are. i shall never have anything to do with man utd again and screw any irish person that does.

The Reaper · 12-02-2003 11:38am

fúck ferguson! he never ever wanted keane to play for ireland always hated him and always expected him to interfer!" fat united wanker!

Thanx 4 The Fish · 12-02-2003 11:42am

Best player we are likely to have for the next few years, shame that we are not going to have our best player in the qualifiers but in all honesty if he had of come back the atmosphere in the team would have been unbearable. Give the young guys a chance now, they will undoubtedly lose out some by not playing/training alongside Keane but they can play in an international competition without too much pressure on and would have been filled with the tension of Keanes return.

Keane before the world cup was great.
Keane during the world cup let himself and Ireland down.
Keane since the world cup led everybody a merry dance and then quit.

Bard · 12-02-2003 11:43am

Originally posted by blackadder
i shall never have anything to do with man utd again and screw any irish person that does.

That's a whole lotta screwin'!...

Thanx 4 The Fish · 12-02-2003 11:46am

Originally posted by Bard
That's a whole lotta screwin'!...

And mostly men...

tHE vAGGABOND · 12-02-2003 12:07pm

short note to remind everyone that we dont like abuse of any nature against members and non members on this forum..

some quite nasty things have been said in this thread..

anymore from anyone and the abuser be banned from this forum..

Dustaz · 12-02-2003 12:41pm

Is anyone really surprised at this? Does anyone really think this is the end?

Keane is probably our second best player ever, but it doesnt change the fact that hes not perfect. I was against any manager being chosen with the keane issue even on the table. Hopefully now we can forget about him and play with people who want to play.

A couple of things are annoying me. Remeber him for his glittering career and not the last 8 months? I suppose you all remember OJ Simpson for his glittering career too, or Maradonna for his good work off the ball. Like it or not, it is impossible to seperate the last 8 months from the memory of keanes brilliance.

Originally posted by Waylander
Thirdly, anyone who thinks that Roy lets Alex Fergusin make his decisions for him has further proven that they do not have a f*cking clue what they are talking about. He is his own man and always will be.

He told Kerr he would play. Then he talked to ferguson.

So either Kerr is an ABU or Keane is a hypocrite.

Samba · 12-02-2003 12:47pm

V.Good point Dustaz,

Although I do agree with alot of the sympathetic views which have been put forward, these harsh feelings for Keane are there for may reasons, for which he is somewhat responsible himself.

But enough is enough, can we lock this thread and forgive and forget?

And I aint just talkin about keane

joey D · 12-02-2003 1:04pm

Thanks for the memories Roy, one of the greatest Irish players ever, best of luck, to hell with the begrudgers, and all the spiteful, naroow-minded idiots posting venomous, irrational comments here.
We performed reasonably well without him in the World Cup, look forwards not backwards, good advice from Alex Fergesun, I look forward to United versus juventus, hopefully we might see a similar performance from Keane to the CL semi-final of 1999.

Good luck Keano and well done on making a very difficult decision!

p.s. I don't actually think he reads this forum but I'll pretend he does...

yop · 12-02-2003 1:14pm

Good riddance to the women-beating traitor, Keane is scum of the highest order who never wanted to be at the World Cup and is only interested in his bank ballance.

christ what an intelligent statement. Where did u pull the women beating traitor from?

BTW - Learn to spell before you come on here to your "points"

Back on the thread -

if he had of come back the atmosphere in the team would have been unbearable.

I think you have it spot on there, if I was an Irish player (:D ) and Keane came back then I would be highly pissed off.

All that can be done is now to either salute him or give him to finger and look forward to someone taking over the mantle of leader for the young lads.

blackadder · 12-02-2003 1:15pm

i wonder how many of those who are so eager to see this as a good development are man utd fans?

cournioni · 12-02-2003 1:22pm

Originally posted by Dcully
Why does Pornapster and one or two others always turn it into a ManU V Liverpool battle and start this imature name calling tripe?

Grow up Pornapster ffs its only a person with big problems who can even think of insulting people or calling them names nevermind say them, just because of who they support.

Before you say it NO IM NOT ANTI-KEANE go and read my post on first page.

Take your boyish rubbish elsewhere please and try to be civil and show some respect to people no matter who they support.:mad:

Excuse me, I wasn't the Liverpool fan that started talking a load of shít about United players. I have a right to defend the team I support. If it was me who started talking shít about a liverpool player at the start of this thread then I'm sure the outcome would be the same. If PiE had'nt posted that I wouldn't have said anything.

Thanx 4 The Fish · 12-02-2003 1:24pm

Originally posted by yop

BTW - Learn to spell before you come on here to your "points"

Oh come on Yop, you are the last man who can complain about anybody's spelling

Originally posted by PORNAPSTER
Excuse me, I wasn't the Liverpool fan that started talking a load of shít about United players.

Nobody was complaining about "United players", the discussion is about an ex Ireland player.

yop · 12-02-2003 1:28pm

suuus, I an a mitty spelr

Waylander · 12-02-2003 1:29pm

He told Kerr he would play. Then he talked to ferguson.

Actually Dustaz Fergie came out over a week ago and said he did not think Roy should play for Ireland. Roy was pretty sure what Fergies view was when he said he would play. Maybe he just talked to medics like he said. Do you really believe a man like Roy would let Alex Ferguson lead him around by the nose? He may respect the man, and value his opinion but it does not take and expert to realise that Fergies motives would be biased in this, and I am positive Roy would not make his decision purely on Fergies advice.

Dustaz · 12-02-2003 1:35pm

Originally posted by PORNAPSTER
Excuse me, I wasn't the Liverpool fan that started talking a load of shít about United players.

Look, can we ban this idiot for either A. Being intensly stupid/unable to seperate manu from Ireland or B. Continuing to troll badly after a mod warning.

tHE vAGGABOND · 12-02-2003 1:51pm

I'll have to rename this board counter strike soon

gandalf · 12-02-2003 2:54pm

Right lads stop the personal abuse towards each other or there wil be bannings. I do not mind a bit of inter team banter etc but when you start making it personal I get the urge to ban people (and I'm trying to cut down

)

If I get one more abuse complaint there will be trouble !!

Gandalf.

spongebob · 12-02-2003 3:05pm

....with the Bank Balance Roy. As you have no charisma charm or style you will have to make your money as a player and only have 2 or 3 years left at the higher levels with maybe 1 or 2 as an impact sub thereafter.

Then, once you retire we won't ever hear from you again....unlike some of your Irish colleagues who can pundit or coach or both.

I fail to see why Brian Kerr and your ex-colleagues should have their preparations for an important match (to them not to you) overshadowed by your press release.....that was charmless and had no style, pretty much what we expected from you really.

woodyg · 12-02-2003 3:29pm

Right lads can we leave it at this Keane is gone and good luck to him.Lets get on whit the buisness at hand of tonites match and the qualification for portugal.Come on the lads wearing the green whit pride dignity and above all HONOUR

omad · 12-02-2003 3:42pm

Any of ye whu think keane is a greedy ****er who has been stringing all of ireland along over the last few months is talking bollocks
Keane has been a excellent player for ireland and without him, we would not have made the world cup in the first place.Look how we did in first 2 qualifying matches!!!!!!!!

Keane has a right to make up his own mind and if on medical advice he was told to retire well big deal.He is only 31 and after coming back from knee surgery.His knee would not be fit to last playing numerous domestic matches and training and playin for country.What good is a ****ed up knee to him later on life.Its not all about football.
I admit i am a united fan and happy to a point with the decision but at the same time as a ireland supporter i am gutted.

It means our national team will suffer for a while.

But lets be positive
Going by Colin Healy's appearances so far, i think with the right club and encouragement he will as tenacious and battling as keano.

yop · 12-02-2003 3:58pm

Then, once you retire we won't ever hear from you again....unlike some of your Irish colleagues who can pundit or coach or both.

Totally rubbish point, Keane will definaltely get a coaching or managers job, he is a total leader and ruthless manager.
If he does not get the Man U job which I do not think he will he will manage a lower league team or coach with a top club

How many Irish Colleagues are coaches? O'Leary, Brady, Bonner and Chris Hughton are the only ones that come to mind.

As for the commentators, most of them are like drones who make pointless comments and are painful to listen to, aka Quinn, Andy think tank!, Jim Beglin, Ray Houghton, Dave O'Leary

johnnynolegs · 12-02-2003 4:36pm

Originally posted by kamobe
Not like it's a gruelling international run.....
He has 6 games to play.

Yeah and if he played them then what........people would complain cos he wouldn't play in the championships themselves - leave the lad alone he has taken advice and made a decision by it everyone else here would do exactly the same in his situation

Roy Keane , I applaud thee

plastic membrane · 12-02-2003 4:46pm

The team just have to forget about Keane and get on with the job. I don't see us going to Portugal next year though...

Waylander · 12-02-2003 5:00pm

I still think we have a good chance. If we beat the Swiss and Russians in our second games and win our other games I think we will at least make the playoffs. The Swiss and the Russians will take point off each other.

Sposs · 12-02-2003 5:04pm

Originally posted by Dustaz

Keane is probably our second best player ever,

Who do you think are best player is? Personal i think it's Paul Mc Grath but maybe this should be in a thread of its own.

dragon heart · 12-02-2003 5:05pm

he's gone, he was goin to retire anyway and i cant believe ye thought he would be coming back!!! the irish team is not roy keane its the whole squad!!!he had his chance now let someone else take over!!! give the likes of colin healy(is he playing tonite?) a chance IMO he is the next keano for ireland

12-02-2003 5:14pm

I honestly believe Keane wanted to play for Ireland but once that boll*x ferguson got involved it was a mere formality who he would swear allegiance to.

It is a sorry situation and was only brought to many people's attention by the careless way Kerr and the Fai went about approaching him about the possibility coming back.

the medical staff are manchester United employees and it is well possible that devious fergie could have put them up to giving roy keane this advice.

the irony of it all is that keane who wishes to prolong his career will face 3 very important games all within the next 10 days aginst arsenal, juventus and some other premiership team. why is it he cant make a mere extra commitment and continue playing for his country at least until the end of the 6 qualifiers remaining or 2 p/o's should we come 2nd, and then bow out as a hero and not a villian.

dragon heart · 12-02-2003 5:18pm

kerr should of named him in the team and let keane decide if he wanted to play or not!!!

cournioni · 12-02-2003 5:23pm

Originally posted by tipp_Gunner
I honestly believe Keane wanted to play for Ireland but once that boll*x ferguson got involved it was a mere formality who he would swear allegiance to.

Is that really true or is it the press that said that?

ciano · 12-02-2003 5:28pm

Originally posted by dragon heart
kerr should of named him in the team and let keane decide if he wanted to play or not!!!

Its unfair to bring Kerr into this imo. I think hes defo an innocent party in this.

BKtje · 12-02-2003 7:26pm

I heard it was the advuce of the people who performed the operation on his hip and therefore would not be employees of man u.

Hairy Homer · 12-02-2003 7:52pm

You can't blame Keane for deciding to secure his future with an entity that pays him twice as much in a week as the average Briton earns in a year. He's got a long retirement ahead of him and no obvious skills outside of football to finance his way through it.

Nor can you blame Ferguson for trying to keep his most proven prized asset (when did United ever win the Championship in a season in which Keane was missing for long periods? Since 1967 anyway?) in as good a shape as possible.

You can (or at least I can) blame the lumpen proles who coagulate around a few big teams so that their rich pampered brats get ever richer while the vast majority of players are reduced to part-time status but that's another story.

The only thing I could criticize Keane and Ferguson for was the timing of the announcement which has only rubbed Kerr's nose in it. He didn't deserve that. Remember the scorn poured on the FAI media man who released the players' statement in Saipan hours before he should have? Bloody incompetence the sages said.

What motivated the timing of Keane's statement? Incompetence or malice?

Incidentally, Channel Four is now running a poll to find the most hated contemporary Briton? It's on the site www.channel4.co.uk/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/britons/vote.html

Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the nominees. I do no more than point it out.

Space Coyote · 12-02-2003 8:07pm

Keane is a wan*er. But...
It's probably for the best I think. Even if he did return to play the rest of the qualifying games, at his age he would be exhausted by the time the Euro Championships came along. Look what happened to the top players in Japan, they were completely shattered.
So I says good luck to Kerrsy, don't let Gaz Breen anywhere near a football pitch and lets forget about whats his name...

therecklessone · 12-02-2003 8:34pm

Right, first things first. Despite labelling Keane a ballbag all those posts ago, can I say the following?

Roy Keane is fully entitled to announce his retirement from international football on medical advice. The FAI do not pay the bloke £5 million a year, Man U do. He probably has one more contract in him as well, and is unlikely to want to piss off Man U plc by insisting he plays for Ireland. Also consider the fact that if he does sustain a career ending injury playing for Utd then the insurance bods will look after him, whereas if that happens in a green jersey he'll probably get sweet fa.

However, despite all that. Brian Kerr's account of the last few days goes something like this...

1. Kerr travel to England, on Thursday last, for a three hour meeting with Keane. Emerges from that in the belief that he has got an "unequivocal" agreement from Keane to return, and also that he will travel to Scotland to begin the process of reintegration into the squad.

2. Keane meets with the powers that be at Man U on Friday and also with his medical people to discuss his return. Keane is believed to have been told by the medical team that he should limit the amount of games he plays.

3. Kerr receives phone calls on Friday from both Keane and Alex Ferguson. Ferguson outlines the reasons he has for encouraging Keane not to return. Keane rings to say he has to rethink his return over the weekend. Kerr asks him to have a "good think" about it.

4. Kerr is called on Monday night by Roy Keane to apologise, and say that he will not be able to return after all. Kerr wishes him the best in his career, and Keane returns the favour.

5. Tuesday morning, and Kerr talks to Ferguson again. They agree that story will not be released until Thursday. At the same time Keane's solicitor and Kerr's agent are in touch. Keanes agent insists the story is about to break in the Manchester media (Irish Times quote "suggestions...that the announcement was necessitated by the fact that the story had already leaked to the media...appeared to be without foundation"). Kennedy releases statment from Keane in time for RTE 6 o'clock news.

Hope I haven't left anything out there.

Now a few questions. Was Roy Keane aware that Brian Kerr wanted to meet him? That would be a firm yes. Why then did Keane wait until Friday (after the meeting) to seek medical advice, or that of his manager and family, on the issue of his return. This is, after all, Mr. Roy "fail to prepare, prepare to fail" Keane, the ultimate professional. Why not do the consultations beforehand, so that he could have had an answer for Kerr there and then. Is that a bit too much to ask? I mean, surely after his operation, and all the speculation regarding his international future, it is likely that Fergie had had a few words with him about fatigue and all that.

Secondly, why make a balls of the announcement? Common decency would say that you stick to an agreement. Consider the following: Keane asks the FAI to hold off on the announcement until after tonights match, out of respect for Brian Kerr, and to give the lads a chance to play without all the press crap that comes with an early announcement. The FAI release the statement anyway. Eamonn Dunphy has a field day taking the piss out of the suits in the FAI. Ironic.

All the best Roy. Hope you have a couple of more years in you. But you really could have handled it a lot better.

knobbles · 12-02-2003 9:35pm

I just want to question two things:
- firstly Roy Keanes word that he'd love to play again, the false hope he gave us Irish fans
- second, his reason when he ultimately said no

I'm gutted, can't hate Roy cause he's been great the last 10 years but i do feel let down and cheated. He implied he'd return if McCarthy ever left and while I fully supported McCarthy through the World Cup, I was one of those who briefly booed as he turned to the stands after the Switzerland game. I regret it but it was the only way of letting Mick know it was time to step down and leave the way for Roy to come back in. The whole media campaign to oust Mick was really one to get Keane back. Keane only fuelled it all by indicating he'd love to return. So all this brings a negative vibe to the Irish camp as they go and lose two crucial qualifiers....as a true fan I'm sure many felt the same as me in thinking it'll be worth it if Keane comes back and fulfills his legend in the green jersey. He said he wanted to. Then when the circumsatnces were made for him, he says sorry but no.

I think he let us down more now than in Saipan where it was a much more difficult situation for him to stay.

But it's for medical reasons someone is saying this time. The medical reasons I believe but I don't see that as enough reason on its own...
SIX GAMES over one year with a summer break in between them. That's all, no replays, no extra-time, is that too much for a 31 year old professional footballer? It never stopped Paul McGrath and his bad medical problems. McGrath couldn't even train for his club at times but it didn't stop him playing til his mid-30s with his country. McGrath is an Irish legend.
I'd have loved Keane to fulfill his but it seems he'd rather save all his glory for man united. We just wanted a piece Roy.

knobbles · 12-02-2003 10:17pm

Originally posted by 80project
Wheres the World Cup in 2022?

Do you reckon we might have produced another Keano by then?

International Wilderness...Get your coats lads

19 years, hmmm
Get Duffer and Robbie shagging athletic women and let's hope for more talent to spring out

Bard · 13-02-2003 12:44pm

Official statement by Roy Keane:

"During a meeting with Brian Kerr last week he outlined to me his future plans for the Irish team.

"It was my first meeting with Brian and I formulated the opinion that the Irish team was in very capable hands.

"It has always been my desire to play again for Ireland and following my meeting with Brian, I discussed in depth with my manager Alex Ferguson, my wife and my immediate family the possibility of my return to international football.

"I also consulted with my medical team who operated upon my hip last September.

"The unequivocal advice given to me by my doctors was that I should not return [to international football].

"In the light of such advice I regret that I am compelled to confirm my retirement from international football.

"I am extremely grateful for all the support I have received in recent months and I am equally sorry that I am unable to play again for my country.

"I wish Brian and the players the best in the future. They will have my full support at all times."

Official statement from Manchester United:

"Roy Keane had several meetings with Brian Kerr. Sir Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane were eager for Roy to return to the Republic of Ireland squad. Before Roy went to meet Brain Kerr he sat down with Manchester United’s medical team, Dr Mike Stone and physio Rob Swire, and felt that the FAI needed to be made aware of all the medical issues. Dr Mike Stone sent a medical report to Brian Kerr explaining the nature of Roy’s injury.

"Roy Keane had undergone hip surgery in September 2002. The orthopaedic surgeon said it was a serious potential career threatening injury. With slow and very careful rehabilitation Roy has made a good recovery from surgery. The possibility of retirement from the game following the surgery was discussed but Roy decided that this was not the course of action he wanted to take.

"It is self evident that being able to give Roy periods of rest if his hip becomes a problem is likely to prolong his career. This is possible within a Club situation. The break he gets during international games can only be of benefit to him. From a strictly medical viewpoint once the decision to continue playing was taken, any way of limiting the number of games he plays is in Roy’s best interests.

"It has been in no-one's interest to persuade Roy Keane to retire from international football. Based purely on medical grounds and not football issues, Roy has decided to do what is best for him and his family."

Communications department, 12 February 2003.

Keane Announces Retirement

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