Welcome Back Roy

On Friday, August 10, 2007, Roy Keane celebrated his 36 birthday. Of course celebrated here is a relative word, because Keane doesn't spent the day 'celebrating'. Instead, he focused himself on how to win against Tottenham Hotspurs at Stadium of Light the next day. Typically, his boys didn't disappoint him. With a last minute goal from Michael Chopra, Sunderland beat Spurs 1-0 on Saturday. They're typical Keane side, dogged, determined, and never give up until the final whistle is blown. Such was his mark on the game, whether as a player, or as a manager. As a tribute to Keane, I've written the following profile. It was written for the profile section at redcafe, and I'd thought of posting it here as a late birthday tribute.

United former captain was a controversial figure, but he was also considered as one of the greatest player to ever wear the red shirt. In his prime, the Irishman was just simply unplayable. Playing in central midfield, he had that ability to break the opponents attack on his own box and appear moments later to score a goal on the other end. An accomplished passer of the ball and a great reader of the game, he could dictate the pace of the game as well as anyone.

Born in the suburb of Cork, Ireland, 8 year old Keane started his career at local club Rockmount AFC. Although showing great promise, at one stage he was deemed too small to make it as a professional footballer. But after his request for trial was rejected by every English club he tried, he finally signed his first professional contract for Cobh Rambler at the age of 18. His performance at Rambler attracted the attention of Brian Clough, then manager of Nottingham Forest, who brought him to Forest for 47.000 pounds.

There, under Clough guidance, Keane was beginning to fulfil his potential. He helped Forest to two consecutive Cup finals, the 1991 FA Cup final lost against Tottenham Hotspurs and the 1992 League Cup final which they also lost to Manchester United. However, despite the excellent Cup runs, Forest league performance wasn't very good. When the bad run in the League reached its peak and saw Forest relegated, it was time for Keane to move on. Several Premiership clubs show interest, and it looked like Blackburn will get Keane service after reaching a verbal agreement with him. But when Alex Ferguson and Manchester United stepped in, there was only one way Keane will go.

He was a crowd favorite at Forest, but it was clear that Manchester United was the perfect stage from him. He helped United won their first double in his first season and forging a formidable partnership with Paul Ince at the centre of the park. And when United sold Ince, Kanchelskis and Hughes to give room for players from the youth academy, Keane became one of the senior midfielder at the club, a role which he relished. Keane and Cantona led the young team to another double, and when Cantona called it a day at the end of the next season, Keane was handed the captaincy.

His time as a captain is what locked him into the United legends pantheon. After missing most of the 1997-1998 season due to a knee cruciate injury, Keane led United to their best season to date, winning the Premiership, the FA Cup, and the Champions League all in one season. His performance in the Champions League Semi Final against Juventus in Turin, where he
dragged United from 2-0 down to win 2-3 was hailed as one of the best performance by a single individual player in United history. Ferguson highlighted the selflessness of his performance, citing the fact that even though the booking he got early in the game would ruled him out from the final, he still performed to ensure his teammates get there. Keane led United to another 3 titles (two consecutively after the treble, making United the only team in history to won the Premiership three times in a row), and 1 FA Cup before his controversial exit on 18 November 2005.

Keane, always one who speak his mind, was highly critical to some of the United younger players in their 4-1 defeat at Boro. A game which Keane missed due to injury. The criticism, which was recorded at MUTV, seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for his time at United. Although Ferguson and Keane still mantain a very good relationship afterwards, Keane presence at the club was deemed detrimental to the young players, which forced Ferguson to let him go.

Similar attitude was also the source of controversy, when he protested the Ireland less than professional set-up during the 2002 World Cup. Mick McCarthy, then Ireland manager, was less than happy and allegedly retort by accusing Keane of feigning injury to escape international duty at the qualifier. Keane went home and was he divided the country's opinion, some defended him claiming Keane's right about the Ireland set-up, while the other half claimed that Keane shouldn't desert his country when they needed him most.

Keane went to Celtic in January 2006, and he went on won another double for the Scottish club, winning a MOM performance against rivals Glasgow Rangers along the way. However after the season ended, Keane finally announced his retirement from football. Long time hip injury had finally taken its toll, and under medical advices, Keane was forced to hang his boots at the age of 35.

Even though Keane once stated that he didn't want to go into management after he see first hand the amount of pressure Clough and Ferguson had to endure, he finally cave in and was announced as manager of Sunderland Football Club at 28 August 2006, signing a three year deal. Keane showed his managerial talent at the North East club in typical Keane style, dragging Sunderland from second to bottom in the Championship division to won the league by the end of the season. People who judged his managerial career
would be a short one was surprised to see a much calmer Keane, although he maintains that competitive streak that has serve him so well in his playing and apparently in his managerial career too.

It remains to see whether Keane would finally come and replace Ferguson as United manager, but even if he's not, a warm reception when he'll back at Old Trafford as oppossing manager can be guaranteed.

A Fairy Tale Season (So Far)

It's quite amazing how United players stand up and be counted so far this season. Perhaps it's the Chelsea factor that urged them on. Or perhaps it's just quality that finally came through. Whatever it is, we started to enjoy our football again

Take Ryan Giggs for example. The way he has played this season, one would think he's closer to 23 than 32. Dazzling again on the left wing, his speed and trickery complements the intelligence and decision making that comes with experience.

Paul Scholes cap his fairy tale last week, scoring his 132th goal in his 500th appearance against Liverpool, United biggest rival. Not only scoring, there he put on a Man of the Match performance as well. Teaching the 'supposedly better' Steven Gerrard of Liverpool a thing or two about midfield play. Strong in possession, flawless in distribution. It was Scholes at his best.

But it wouldn't be fair to singled out Scholes for that win. As good as he is, he didn't do it all alone. Other players worth a mention too, like one Darren Fletcher. Much maligned by many United supporters last season, he has been nothing sort of excellent this time. His endless energy and excellent work rate proved to be the perfect foil for Scholes, and Carrick to a lesser extent. He tackled, harried every Liverpool players in sight and stopped them from playing their game.

And last Saturday, it was Wayne Rooney's turn. Much being said about his goal drought, and what better way to end it with a hattrick on a ground where the opposition never conceded a single goal before this season? Bolton was left wondering what has hit them 16 minutes into the first half when Rooney scored his first two in the space of 6 minutes. While his first is owed much to the vision and passing of Michael Carrick, the second was pure Rooney. Received a loose ball just outside the D, he curled in a right foot shot to the far corner, eluding every Bolton defenders trying to block it.

The question still remains, whether this United side are capable of matching Chelsea all the way. I wouldn't think about it this time, but I love the fact that this United side played the game the right way. With flair and skill, and attacking style which left the other team on their arse. Chelsea, for all their money, managed to bored their opponents to defeat. I got goosebumps seeing the team now before every game because I know, win or lose we're gonna do it our way, the Manchester United way.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

A Tribute to The Quiet Man

If nothing go wrong in the next 4 hours, when Manchester United take on Liverpool on 7 PM tonight, Paul Scholes will be making the 500th appearance for Manchester United. Only 8 players in Manchester United history have played more games than him, and only two players in the current squad who have more appearance than him, which is Ryan Giggs, and Gary Neville.

While Giggs has been touted for greatness from the day he walked in to Old Trafford as a 14 years old, it's quite surprising to see now that there are people who are sceptics whether Scholes would make it as a professional footballer back then. Les Kershaw, United Youth Academy director still remember how the 16 years old Scholes in the youth team.

"At 16, we could play Scholesy for only 20 minutes a game. He couldn't run. He was a little one. Had asthma. No strength. No power. No athleticism. No endurance". "You've got a bleedin' dwarf!" someone mentioned to Brian Kidd, United youth team coach back then. But the United coach know better, since for all the negative qualities, Scholes vision and technique was miles above any 16 years old he'd ever seen. They stuck by him, and 499 appearance and 131 goals later, it was a worthy gamble.

Many people who has seen Scholes play goes as far that he was naturally the most gifted footballer the islands has ever produce since Paul Gascogine, but his quiet and shy demeanor meant that individual awards rarely comes his way. Not that it bothered him that much. This is the player, probably the only player in the Premiership who does not have an agent. He doesn't like all the hurly burly of publicity, he likes to keep everything simple and efficient. Just like his football.

But his peers and people in the game knows better. Thierry Henry called him the best midfielder in Britain. Juan Sebastian Veron, who came to United only heard about David Beckham, realised that Scholes is the best midfielder at United during his time in the club. Even Patrick Vieira, called him the best midfielder he ever played against. Kieron Dyer, who secretly wished that he'll replace Scholes in England midfield in the future admitted that "Paul Scholes is on a different planet". And in Laurent Blanc, he got his biggest admirer. When Blanc got interviewed for the Euro 2004 match buildup of England vs France, he swifly said, "Paul Scholes. I've said it before and I tell everyone who asks me: Scholes is the best English player. Intelligence, technique, strength . . . all the attributes are there. At Manchester United I saw what he could do on the training ground. Phew!".

Played as a deep lying forward as a youngster and early in his career at United, Paul Scholes was dubbed "The Ginger Prince" by the United faithful, because of his red hair and seen as the understudy of The King's, Eric Cantona. Described by Sir Alex Ferguson as the "most natural finisher" at United, he racked up two goals in his debut at the League Cup match against Port Vale in 1994, and scored further 5 goals in the next 17 league matches when he replaced Cantona when the Frenchmen got banned for the rest of the season due to the famous kung-fu kick incident.

But he didn't become a permanent fixture in the side until the 1997-1998 season. When Roy Keane knee ligament gave up for the remainder of the season, up came Scholes to Keane place in United midfield. Together with fellow youth-team mate Nicky Butt, he formed the central midfield pairing which enabled United to race into an eleven point lead in the league, before further injuries and fatigue see Arsenal pipped them for the title in the closing stage of the season.

But that season proved to be his baptism of fire. Scholes come out from it a much better player. His performances earned him his first England cap, in the Turnoi de France match against Italy, where he scored a goal and assist the other in the 2-0 win. He was named Man of the Match. He scored again in his first World Cup match later that month, a super curling shot from outside of the area in the 2-0 win against Tunisia. And he hasn't look back ever since.

Now, retired from England duties, and fully focused on his United career, Paul Scholes is on the best form of his life. His goal against FC Copenhagen last week was a typical Scholes goal. Received the ball from Patrice Evra, he took one touch to set himself before lashing out a right foot drive from 5 yards outside the area into the top corner. Simple, efficient and deadly. That's Scholes for you.