The beard of Birmingham

Roy Keane gives the impression of someone who never quite recovered from his Man Utd breakup. Under his messianic captaincy, the side scaled top league nirvana and world domination but it also led to conflict as to who was top dog. Sir Alex Ferguson or Keane? His fall came after harsh criticism of dilettante team mates in an in house TV interview particularly his views damning Rio Ferdinand as an overpaid hack was considered too damaging by the club’s management. Keane departed to eventually retire after a year at Celtic. A post retirement managerial career spent in the comparative wilderness at Sunderland and Ipswich has largely been forgettable while Sir Alex’s calculated man management style continued to bring out the best in Man Utd going past Liverpool and another CL title. The contrast seemingly bringing the Irishman’s sense of grievance and injustice from a simmer to a boil. Those broadsides are now part of The Second Half, his new autobiography with Roddy Doyle going after a whole host of perfidious villains – former manager, ex team mates, footballers, and the media. It’s football’s Joseph Anton.

As for a patch up with Sir Alex, don’t hold your breath. The man who Sir Alex said of, “the hardest part of Roy’s body was his tongue” says he doesn’t know. The biggest surprise: the Man Utd locker room would get pumped up on Abba’s Dancing Queen before going out on the pitch. Of all the songs in the world – Dancing Queen! 1976 also produced this and this as unmistakable adrenaline pushers, all better choices.

The Second Half >>