Roy Keane Signs Patrick Vierra

Well, not really, but what a good headline it would make huh. The former Manchester United Captain who had so many battles and punch ups with vierra I lost count, actually signing him as a player. I dread to see the dressing room if Sunderland had a bad day and Vierra was to blame !! It would seem that it has been considered by 'Keano' though, so who knows.

It was reported in www.goal.com and I have reproduced the article below.

Roy Admits He's Keen On Vieira

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has intimated
that he considered recruiting Patrick Vieira,
one of his greatest on-field enemies, during the summer...

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Sunderland spent big over the off-season as they sought to build a squad capable of cementing a
place in the Premier League's top 10.

One of the most fascinating transfer links involved Vieira, who was Keane's arch-rival when they
captained Arsenal and Manchester United respectively during the clubs' glory years in the late
1990s and onwards.

The French midfielder had been tipped to leave Internazionale after a disappointing season
punctuated by injuries and poor form, but even the most ambitious punter would have smirked
at the idea of a Wearside move.

However, when questioned over his alleged interest in Vieira, the Black Cats boss replied: “Not
when I found out his wages!

“If I believe this player can give us something, I’m sure the board would back us. We’re always
making enquiries about lots of players.”

While their rivallry was an intense one, few would deny that Keane and Vieira earned each
other's respect with every clash and tussle down the years.

There is also little doubt that the former Gunner would have proven a great addition at the
Stadium of Light. Natural leaders with that calibre of Premier League experience are a rare and
valuable commodity, after all.

Keane continued: “How great is (Vieira)? I don’t know. I don’t go down that road. I just know
he was a bloody good player.

“He had good leadership skills, too. But not as good as mine!”

Arsenal travel to Sunderland today, and Keane is expecting Arsene Wenger's side to be
especially fired-up after last week's shock loss to Hull City.

“Is Wenger harder than he looks? Without a shadow of doubt,” the Irishman added.

“He has that presence about him. I’m sure if he was having a go at you and standing over you,
you would realise that presence.”

Martin O'Neill Is Tipping Roy Keane To Manage Manchester United

MARTIN O’NEILL tips Roy Keane to land the biggest job in football - manager of Manchester United.

Aston Villa chief O’Neill said: “I think Roy can be anything he wants to be. The sky’s the limit for him.

“Can you imagine the wealth of experience Roy would have picked up from spending all those years and years playing under Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson?

“He couldn’t have had two better mentors. All he’s had to do is take his own personality into it and be his own man.”

Although O’Neill himself was schooled under Clough at Nottingham Forest he stresses he ‘doesn’t pretend’ to know the ex-Manchester United midfielder.

He added: “I’ve had very, very few conversations with Roy, so mine is very much an outside viewpoint.

“But if he still has the same drive, determination and ambition he had as a player, there’s nothing to stop him reaching the very top as a manager.

“There’s no question he was one of the greats of the last 10-15 years and acknowledged by just about everyone as one of the top five Premiership players of that time.

“He stepped in at Sunderland with no managerial experience and turned results around and won promotion from the Championship at the first attempt.

“He’s had a supportive board but with his winning mentality and refusal to accept second-best, I have no doubts he can take Sunderland on to the level he would at least be satisfied with for the time being.”

Giggs The Gaffer

Ryan Giggs has confirmed he could look into taking up a manager's role when his playing career at Manchester United comes to an end.

I can't believe he will be will be 35 in November. Gradually though, he is being phased out of Sir Alex Ferguson's first team plans at Old Trafford, having made just four appearances this season.

However, Giggs, who scored in the 3-1 Carling Cup victory against Middlesbrough on Tuesday, insists he is happy to keep playing until Ferguson feels he can longer offer anything to the team.

"I'm relaxed about my future and I've got this year left on my contract," Giggs told the Daily Star.

"I'm feeling good at the moment and, as long as I feel healthy, I'm getting picked and I still enjoy it, then I'll carry on.

"But if any of those things change, I'll have to consider when I retire and it will be sooner rather than later."

In the meantime Giggs is working towards gaining all of the necessary coaching qualifications as he plots to follow several of his former United team-mates into management after his playing days are over.

He added: "I think working under the manager here is the best schooling there is and you can see that by the managers in the Premier League.

"There's Roy Keane, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Steve Bruce and they have all played under the manager, so there is definitely something in that.

"Coaching would be an option and it is a natural progression for a lot of footballers. There are a lot of different roads that footballers can follow after they stop playing.

"I just want to be prepared for when I finish because, if I do decide to go into coaching or management, I want to make sure I've got my qualifications and the necessary coaching badges.

"I started about three or four years ago with my B badge. I picked it up again in the summer with my A badge and A licence.

"I've enjoyed it and hopefully I can get all the badges for when I finish."

It's right what he says too. We have Fergie himself plus four of his former players managing in the Premiership !!! That's 25% of all the teams are run by former United players or Fergie himself.

Giggsy is so professional, so methodical in everything he does I believe he will be a good manager, he deserves it after all he has given us down the years.