Rob Roy

‘THE Press should thank Roy Keane. They should get together and write an open letter to the Manchester United captain and thank him for creating news where there was none. With the transfer market flat, Roy first left the World Cup in a huff and now hogs the back pages thanks to his comments in the case of Roy ”Mustard” Keane versus Alf-Inge ”Ouch” Haaland.

”Dear Alfie, get worse soon. Lots of love, Roy”

And, although the non-fight is over, the war rages on. Players’ union chief executive Gordon Taylor tells the Mail that the spat could incite crowd trouble. Noting how Keane plays for Manchester United and Haaland for Manchester City, Taylor says that the ”vendetta” could ”incite trouble and tarnish the game”.

While Manchester hooligans wonder how a simple ice-cream dessert can cause a disturbance, Alex Ferguson stands by his man. Pictured in the Times, the brusque Scot says that Keane has no case to answer. ”There’s been a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between the two of them over the years,” says Fergie of Keane and Haaland, ”but most of it has come from Haaland, who always has plenty to say.” Especially to his nurse and the other medics who have been trying to save his career ever since Fergie’s boy gave him a good talking to.

But injuries are part and parcel of sporting life, and nowhere more so than in the English cricket camp. The Times watches as Craig White tears a side muscle and rules himself out of the third Test against India, joining a host of other players on the treatment table.

But in the Mirror the message is to leave them there. The cricket board should a take a leaf out of our alleged NHS practice and not bother themselves to repair the already ancient, choosing instead to concentrate on the young. And the message comes from Ian Botham. Except that it isn’t his message, not really. Sure Beefy says that ”this season has been all about promoting young talent”, but he then picks his own party to tour Australia, and includes the likes of Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Andy Caddick. Not players who appear to be in the first flushes of youth.

But, then, the Mirror and Botham should not be too harshly treated – at least they are trying to talk about something other than Roy Keane. Oh, haven’t your heard? It seems that Roy has a bad temper. And remember, you heard that news here first. ‘

Posted: 14th, August 2002 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink