Keane On Keane

[mawspurs]

Source: official site

Robbie Keane said it was not hard to detect the managerial credentials of his namesake and Sunderland boss Roy during the former Republic of Ireland captain's playing days.
The ex-Manchester United midfield enforcer took over at the Stadium of Light at the end of August last year with the team on a pretty low ebb having lost five out of their first six games but the more senior Keane, in his first management post, drove the Black Cats to the top of the table and the Championship title.

"Oh yes, anyone could see it, he had and has all the credentials to be a top manager," said Robbie on his old Republic teammate. "He has already proved something with winning the Championship after taking over when Sunderland were at the bottom end. It was remarkable and full credit to them.

"When I was playing with him he had an aura about him and the respect of all the players," added Robbie, who expects a big test in the seasonal opener.

"Obviously it is a massive occasion for them with having just been promoted to the Premier League with Roy in charge. It will be a tough game as it always is against a newly promoted side, especially with it being up there with the fans who really do get behind them.

"It will be a different experience for some of the new lads who will never have witnessed it before and it will be a great experience for them in their first game. It is one we are looking to get a good win in after a strong pre-season."

From our own perspective, pre-season has gone according to plan with seven wins from as many games. Robbie is now looking for the winning run to continue into the new campaign.

"It has been good, but the most important thing in pre-season is your fitness and getting yourself ready for the start of the season. You do want to win the games though, to get that winning mentality and in the last three pre-seasons now it has gone well for us.

"It is important now to bring that into the season.

"It has gone the way we've wanted but, as a player, we just want to get on with it now - the real stuff, which is the Premier League. We are looking forward to Saturday's game and all the players are raring to go."

[sebo_sek]

A must-win. Anything less and I will be very disappointed. We have to win such games.

[oobaties]

Robbie has obviously has years of media training.

His real answer would have gone something like....

"Roy's an ignorant c**t and he's a shite manager"

[Jolmeister]

Totally of subject, I see Danny Rose has been given squad number 37, this obviously means that he will be given a run out at some point this season. Just what we need a fast LW who can cross a decent ball. I think this means we have given up any thoughts of signing a LW LM.

[jenko]

It definately won't be an easy game but we all want a winning start more than ever this year... A lot will depend on how Kaboul settles into playing against premier opposition but Sunderland will be so up for this match and the stadium of light will be screaming for a good performance from sunderland which they will probably get... I just hope the boys are good enough to score 3, that should be enough.

[spursLA]

Totally of subject, I see Danny Rose has been given squad number 37, this obviously means that he will be given a run out at some point this season. Just what we need a fast LW who can cross a decent ball. I think this means we have given up any thoughts of signing a LW LM.

I'm starting to think we're never going to see two out-and-out wingers in the regular line-up. The way the signings have been going over the last couple of summers I suspect we're going to have a narrow three in midfield with a winger or a player in the hole behind the strikers or a narrow 4 with no winger. If that's true then Rose is Lennon's substitute and not a complement. I vaguely remember Jol talking about blocks (5-5, 6-4) of players - I think in a article about the England world cup team - rather than the 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 we're used to using.

[mawspurs]

I'm starting to think we're never going to see two out-and-out wingers in the regular line-up. The way the signings have been going over the last couple of summers I suspect we're going to have a narrow three in midfield with a winger or a player in the hole behind the strikers or a narrow 4 with no winger. If that's true then Rose is Lennon's substitute and not a complement. I vaguely remember Jol talking about blocks (5-5, 6-4) of players - I think in a article about the England world cup team - rather than the 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 we're used to using.

I think we will see Rose used in the odd Carling cup game or sub appearance to see if he can do "a Lennon" and if so the appearances will increase.

With regard to Jol talking about blocks, yes he did mention attacking blocks and defensive blocks and sometimes I forget that when watching the lads play. Its a different way of looking at formations and explains maybe some of the subs he makes when we are wondering why did he do that.

I can't wait for kick off now COYS.

[davidmatzdorf]

I'm starting to think we're never going to see two out-and-out wingers in the regular line-up. ...I vaguely remember Jol talking about blocks (5-5, 6-4) of players - I think in a article about the England world cup team - rather than the 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 we're used to using.

I think you're right. Very few teams in England play with 2 out-and-out wingers, for good reasons. They get ripped to shreds in midfield.

You're right about the "blocks" thing, too. The point of it was that most players, especially the midfielders, don't have rigid roles. They are expected to switch from attack to defence depending on the match situation. They still have positions in a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1 or a 4-3-3 formation, but some of them join the attacking block when we have the ball and the defending block when we don't.