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Memories...

Sunday, November 27, 2005

A TRIBUTE TO KEANO, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES..

Roy keane left Manchester United last week. I felt that i should really write something about him, especially when he was my favourite football player, and one of my idols in life. (Note that i dun really have many idols)

Having spent 12 years at United, and growing up watching him week in week out slugging it out at Old Trafford..keane was special to me. This whole episode just reminded me Cantona's retirement in 1997 as well, which is like wow,8 years ago? How time flies...

Keane was not the kind of player who can dribble past 3,4 other players like Ronaldo, Giggs, Kanchelskis, Best.. He was not the kind of player who score 20 goals (not even 10) per season aka Van Nistelrooy, Mark Hughes, Cole, Yorke...He was rarely the kind who can create a defence splitting pass like Cantona, Sheringham, Scholes, Veron.. nor can he cross like Beckham or Lee Sharpe.

Keane plays a simple, yet effective game. His tackling, ball distribution, passing, influence, tenacity, workrate and no-nosense approach abilities, while seemingly less glorious than e other attributes, has been largely significant to United's success for the past decade.

Most of all, he had one thing: His Rugged Determination and Willpower to win. Something which is above all else and many other footballers. Give keano not a 50-50 ball, but even a 1-99 ball and he ll still go for it.

Not many people know, maybe except my soccer khakis, that keano was a real inspiration to me both on the football pitch and in my life. I always felt that i could identify with him, perhaps thats why i like him so much. He was someone whom i felt u could really count on, even when e chips were down.

The 2 most memorable and outstanding matches which i felt Keane played in were the group qualifying match vs bayern munich, and the semi-final match vs juventus in the 1999 champions league, where united won the treble.

Against bayern, United needed at least a draw to progress through to the knockout stages, and keane i rem, was the one who smashed in a wonderful long range shot to ensure qualification. His all round play was superb that night as well, and united fans realize that how vital it was to renew his contract.

Against the old lady, i rem in 1999 then juve was really the team to beat, not real madrid. Somemore they were playing at home in turin, where no other European team had beaten them that season. Add to the fact that juve got 2 early goals thru the offside man Inzaghi (i have never liked him as long as i can rem). But keane inspired a comeback win for united, by heading in the first away goal from a corner, and then winning the midfield battle against Davids and Zidance, who were then in the prime of their careers. He then received a yellow card halfway thru the match, which meant he ll have to miss the final, but still he kept his head up and led the team to victory. I read somewhere later on that the suspension from the final was one of the biggest disappointments of his career..

So there, keano..a real man and champion. He may have his flaws, but so do all of us.
Thanks for the service to United the past 12 years, thanks for the inspiration, thanks for the lessons...

Most of all, thanks for the memories :p you ll forever be one of the greatest manchester united players and captains...

KEANO!! KEANO!! KEANO!!!

The Incredible Hock