NGONGE Posted December 4, 2008 ^^ This will cheer you up. Keane walks away from Black Cats Roy Keane Resignation : Sunderland have confirmed manager Roy Keane has walked away from the club after six losses in seven games saw the Black Cats drop to 18th in the Premier League. The club said this afternoon that it had "reluctantly accepted" Keane's resignation and thanked the Corkman "for all his hard work in progressing this club, lifting its status and growing its worldwide profile." Keane added: "I would like to thank my staff, players, (Sunderland chairman) Niall Quinn and in particular the fans for their support during my time at Sunderland, and I would like to wish the club every success in the future." First-team coach Ricky Sbragia will take over team affairs on an interim basis, assisted by reserve-team coach Neil Bailey and senior player Dwight Yorke. Quinn said: "Roy, as he says himself, is his harshest critic. He just felt he had completed his journey here, and he just felt he didn't want to get it unstuck any further and find ourselves in deeper, darker territory. "That's the measure of the guy. It's funny, in situations like this, I am sure nine times out of 10, the chairman is saying how the manager was trying to keep his job. It was the other way round. "It's a disappointing day in many respects, but of course, we fully respect his decision. "And of course, once he made his decision, I said to him, 'I know you too well, Roy, to try to overturn it now' once he went over that line." "The board has reluctantly accepted his decision and wish him and his family well for the future," added Quinn. Keane, who was due to hold his pre-match press conference for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to former club Manchester United at 1pm this afternoon, was appointed in August 2006. He immediately turned the fortunes of the club around, lifting them out of the relegation zone in the Championship and guiding them to the Premier League in his first season in charge. Last season, Sunderland finished 15th in the league, three points from the relegation zone. The 37-year-old was given unprecedented financial backing by the Sunderland board, with his spending topping in excess of £70million (€81million) on 33 players. Last summer he brought in former Liverpool striker of Djibril Cisse, defender Anton Ferdinand, El-Hadji Diouf, Pascal Chimbonda and Steed Malbranque but none have shone as yet on Wearside and the club now finds itself in 18th position in the league. Reports had suggested that his relationship with the players had grown strained over recent weeks but two of them, Andy Reid and goalkeeper Craig Gordon, backed the former Republic of Ireland captain in the last 24 hours. Sunderland's recent poor run culminated in demoralising 4-1 defeat to Bolton at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Keane's biographer, journalist Eamonn Dunphy, has been openly critical of the former Celtic player recently and and he reiterated his point today, claiming on Sky Sports that Keane was "out of his depth". "One of the many tasks a manager has to face up to, in the Premiership particularly, is the buying and selling of players. If you are not good at that, you lose a lot of money and you lose a lot of credibility and there's a lot of instability in the club," said Dunphy. "Those signs have been there 12 months or more." Dunphy, once Keane's most vocal supporter, added that Keane was also beginning to believe his own hype. "I think he brought with him to the club, this sort of aura, one that was very difficult for the players, many of whom are limited, to deal with," he said. "You've got have a humility, I think, in life in general. He was such a great, great star as a player that perhaps that humility factor wasn't there when he had to deal with real mortals." Source Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted December 5, 2008 well, it could be that Rafa will sacked at the end of the season and Keano is being groomed to take his place p..s Keane Cadi Maha; tolow does chew Khat or soemthing? Norf, 442 needs wingers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted December 5, 2008 Ngonge, why would that cheer me up? Great player and half decent manager so far. Just saw David James' mistake last night LooooL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted December 5, 2008 ^^ He is United through and through. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted December 5, 2008 Roy Keane waa nin madaxa ku socdo, he divided Ireland into two, half supporting him, the other against him during the Japan-Korea World Cup. He is drama queen, but great pplayer. The current Sunderland chairman Nial Quin was also very critical of Keane durin the Irish world cup drama, both were playing for Irish international Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Resistance Posted December 5, 2008 Does any u guys play teh Premier League fanstsy footbal thingy. if so is there SOL mini league. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted December 7, 2008 Another 3 points but boy was that painful? LFC need wingers and I need to remember we have visitors (shouting at the screen is a no no)! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted December 7, 2008 ^^ They have wingers. The left hand side is fine. It's the right that is not doing it. But for some strange reason, the midfield boys like to pass the ball to the right all the time. Liverpool need to change the midfield now. Barry would have been good. Fabregas, Carric or Deco would be better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted December 10, 2008 Barry? We have Mascherano and Alonso. They just need to be more mobile and quicker at counter attacking. Torres is being missed big time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted December 10, 2008 Alonso is a great player but NOT for that team. His passes are always the wrong ones. Either sideways or long hollywood (gerrard) ones. Even if Torres was there Liverpool would still be wasteful. You can't blame that on the strikers alone. It's the midfield that messes things up. Mascherano is enough as an enforcer, now we need someone that knows how to make short penetrating passes and see the strikers' runs. I think Rafa agrees with me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted December 10, 2008 Would be nice if Lpool steal Deco Some one bet me the other day if Liverpool stays top or second place in whole of January, then I would get few hundredh lol, the guy is Chelsea Mafia and nothin goes to his head, nothin, even if Liverpool wins he would still say it went over the bar and wasn't very clear one so it is lose Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oz Posted December 13, 2008 hmmm.. uh ah moved to another hood. Congratz nuune and Co for trying to be consistant, I know it's not easy when the mighty Chelsea fc are breathing beside you just waiting for that slip and BOOM 08-09 trophy shall be taken back to Stanford bridge. anyone seen Barcelona lately? DANGER. am now watching La-liga more than EPL. LOZ, get back to your hole sxb , Gunners=GOONERS. If I was a gooner fan I'd suffer from high blood preasure due to how many goals the miss in one game. I'll be saying go go go goal oh no missed during the hole match.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted December 13, 2008 FOURTH draw at home against nobodies! That title is really not coming home this season, is it? Ah well, at least Arsenal drew again. Heh. ps If United beat Spurs they'll only be ONE point behind (if you assume they'll win their game in hand). Damn! pps Moment of match: Nabil El Zhar making duca by the touch line before he high fives Youssi Benayoun who he replaced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oz Posted December 13, 2008 ^^ lol I saw that a moslem replaced a jew. as for the title race: pool are not ready for it, they aren't hungry for it, Chelsea WIN tomorrow and we back at the top btw are you watching el-classico later on? Am glued to the TV tonight, now manU vs Tott'ham that should be a beauty. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted December 13, 2008 El Classico? I gave my La Liga showing smart card away to a couple of football mad kids. Pool were poor for 20 mins and couldn't turn it around. Hull played well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
