Keane: The Autobiography

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Former professional footballer, current manager and pundit, Roy Keane is one of the most successful players Ireland has ever produced. His 19 trophies put him at the top of the list alongside fellow Manchester United alumnus Denis Irwin. In his early career, Roy was a big name in international football as part of the squad for the 1988 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship and the Republic of Ireland national under-19 team – for which he won man of the match in the final, winning game. During his twelve-year stretch with Manchester United, Roy’s career saw great highs, as well as more turbulent incidences, which ensured that he made his name as an influential player and captain. A genuine pleasure . . . His thoughts on his players are humane, interesting, candid and never less than believable' The Times This autobiography tells the story of how Roy Keane relentlessly drove himself towards a simple goal (to be a professional soccer player) and how his uncompromising single mindedness propelled him to the pinnacle of his objective -- captaincy of Manchester United, the 1999 treble season capturing the FA Cup, Premiership and Champions League and countless other team and individual trophies. A dominating central-midfielder, Keane was noted for his aggressive and highly-competitive style of play, an attitude which helped him excel as captain of Manchester United from 1997 until his departure in 2005. Keane helped United achieve a sustained period of success in more than 12 years at the club, during which he established himself as one of the greatest players in the club's history.[citation needed] He was a great influence, really. If Roy had a go at you, he did it because he cared. He was the best captain you could wish for.

The best things are the small things: regretting joining Ipswich when he discovered the training kit was blue; refusing to sign Robbie Savage because his answerphone message was rubbish; being appalled that his side had listened to an Abba song before playing football. The irrational, blistering intolerance is delicious. Keane famously detested yes-men; he created himself as the ultimate no-man. And he's still here -- Dan Jones * EVENING STANDARD * He was so intelligent in how he played the game and let me tell you, it felt good to have him behind me for four seasons. He’d win the ball and then give it to me. And what a character!”For a complete player, without a doubt Keano. Apart from the bad side he had, he was the complete midfield player for me. The personality required to be an elite athlete is not always the same that is needed to qualify as a “good person.” Ruthlessness, stubbornness, ignoring pain, ignoring limits, intentionally breaking rules of decency——these traits are sometimes needed for tremendously successful athletes to become Legends. Thank Goodness we have the metaphorical realms of Sport and Art so that the most talented among us can work out these contradictions in a safe space, rather than have no other outlet and have to take out their aggression—and transgressions—elsewhere. The hearing started at 12.15pm. The prosecution case, featuring video evidence and extracts from the book, was conducted by Jim Sturman QC and lasted an hour and a quarter before Keane gave evidence and was cross-examined for two and a half hours. Dunphy followed, claiming, it is understood, that Keane's comments in the book were unfaithfully reported, before closing statements and deliberation.

Somebody I met in Ireland had told me to tell him [Ferguson]: ‘You are not going to win this,’ Keane writes in his new autobiography, The Second Half. “I mentioned it to him. And I told him that I didn’t think it was good for the club, the manager in a legal dispute with shareholders. Following the infamous Saipan incident: “As he waded in with one expletive after another I asked myself, ‘Was this my captain? Was this the man who could serve Ireland as a role model for our children?’ The answer was no.” Paul Scholes

Summary

At the time I thought: ‘What’s he talking about?’ Then when I got home, I sat and thought about it and thought: ‘Yeah, you’ve got to try and affect the game.'” Paul Ince We knew that he was a special player, we knew that he loved to have a bit of a moan, but we knew that he could produce the goods week in, week out, and we knew he was a winner.” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer I thoroughly enjoyed this enthralling, frank and hilarious book. Readers not familiar with British colloquialisms and English football culture may find this story difficult to follow. But readers interested in what constitutes the heart of a champion will find Keane The Autobiography both rewarding and indispensable. When Keane says anything, listening is usually the best option. He's scarily extreme, dangerously provocative, oxy-acetylene forthright ... and hugely entertaining ... Self-desctruction, self-pity, self-laceration - his latest unburdening has all this and more. His book reveals more flaws and admits to more mistakes than Sir Alex Ferguson did in his last literary effort - and Keane's is much funnier -- Aidan Smith * SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY * Soon attention focused heavily on a passage about Keane seeking revenge on Alfie Inge Haaland which ultimately got Keane a suspension – reading the offending passage now it would be fairly easy to overlook it, had Haaland’s career not been cut short due to the injury he suffered. By the time the second edition was published in 2003, Keane had agreed to rewrite the passage in later editions as part of his punishment from the FA.