Keane übernimmt Sunderland

[themanwho]

Keane and Sunderland agree terms

Former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane has agreed terms to become the new manager of Sunderland. Keane is expected to sign a contract after the home Championship game against West Brom on Monday. The 35-year-old was introduced to the Black Cats squad by chairman Niall Quinn on Sunday. Keane faces a tough challenge with the club bottom of the Championship after four consecutive league defeats after their relegation last season.

The club were also knocked out of the Carling Cup after a 2-0 loss to lowly Bury. It will be the former Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Celtic midfielder's first steps into management, after injury ended his glittering playing career in June 2006. Keane will replace his former Republic of Ireland team-mate Quinn, who has occupied the role while a permanent choice was sought.

A statement on the club's website said: "Roy Keane visited Sunderland today where he met with players and officials from the club. Keane and the club have agreed terms for him to be appointed as manager, and it is envisaged that he will sign a formal contract immediately after Sunderland's game against West Brom tomorrow." Quinn and his Drumaville consortium bought out former chairman Bob Murray during the summer.

Sunderland derzeit am letzten Platz in der Championship, im Ligacup gab es eine höchstpeinliche 0-2 Niederlage beim Letzten der League One. Besonders pikant auch der Umstand, dass Keane und Quinn sich überhaupt nicht mögen.

In the summer of 2002, Keane attracted criticism for skipping Quinn's testimonial in Sunderland. The midfielder, who had refused to contribute to the programme notes for the game over a spat with a journalist, was injured but still expected to show his face. In turn, Quinn was one of the senior players that Keane felt had refused to back him in his quest to improve Ireland's facilities.

But all that was just the eye of the storm that was to follow when Keane and Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy fell out ahead of the World Cup finals in Japan. Quinn found himself stuck in the middle of the Saipan controversy. Quinn and Keane share an agent in Michael Kennedy and the big striker became a mediator in trying to broker a peace deal. And when Quinn was ultimately forced to take sides he threw his backing behind manager McCarthy. In Keane's eyes you are either with him or against him - and Quinn was very much against him.

Keane on Quinn:

"Niall Quinn going on TV and saying that he was shattered from it, saying he hadn't slept. Did he think it was a walk in the park for me coming back to Ireland, what my family and kids had to go through?

"He's sitting on TV pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. He deserves an Oscar that fella, making out to be Mother Teresa. People don't know half of it."

Quinn on Keane:

"How do you measure professionalism? By how much pasta you eat? Bleep tests? Abstinence? The ability to get on with it no matter what the circumstances? Walking out on your team before the greatest games of their lives? We all take responsibility for ourselves. Roy left us in Saipan, not the other way round. And he punished himself more than any of us by not coming back."

But in his autobiography, Quinn's admiration for Keane shone through, even for the way he dismantled McCarthy in front of the Irish squad. "People talk about Irish patriot Robert Emmet's speech from the dock. They talk about the oratory of Brendan Behan, Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins. "But Roy Keane's 10-minute oration can be mentioned in the same breath. It was clinical, fierce, earth-shattering to the person on the end of it and it ultimately caused a huge controversy in Irish society."

In August 2002, Keane and Quinn had agreed to shake hands in front of the world when Manchester United visited Sunderland. But their attempt to make a public reconciliation fell flat when Keane was sent off after being wound-up by Jason McAteer. Quinn attempted to speak to Keane only to receive the hairdryer treatment from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who had misread the situation.

BBC

bearbeitet 27. August 2006 von themanwho

[CarolusMagnus]

Der versprochene Spitzentrainer. Vielleicht sollte man ihm Schinkels und Stöger als Lehrpersonal zur Seite stellen.

[themanwho]

Trainereffekt. Nach knapp 75 Minuten führt Sunderland mit 2-0 gegen West Brom. Das erste Tor war übrigens ein direkter Eckball von Dean Whitehead - hat anscheinend gewusst, dass mit Zubi ein Spezialist im Tor steht.

[Cormega]

wurde ja auch Zeit, dass die Blackcats wieder mal 3Pkt einfahren. Aber das es dann gleich beim ersten Anlauf, und vorallem dass es gegen die sehr starken Baggies klappt, überrascht mich dann doch sehr. Respekt, Herr Keane

[themanwho]

Respekt, Herr Keane

1197466[/snapback]

Wobei er den Dreijahresvertrag erst nach dem Spiel unterzeichnet hat und dem Spiel lediglich als stiller Beobachter auf der Tribüne beigewohnt hat. Aber allein die Präsenz wird so manchen Spielern die Beine lang gemacht haben, man will sich ja seinem zukünftigen Gaffer in guter Verfassung präsentieren.