Keane has a go at Sky and TV Pundits.
Keane blasts TV 'experts'
Also in Premier League
By Michael Walker and Nick Szczepanik
Saturday November 08 2008
Roy Keane came to the defence of both Arsene Wenger and Tony Adams yesterday, and in doing so launched a scathing analysis of the culture of 'short-termism' he sees as being propagated by the media, in general, and by Sky television in particular.
"It's the media side of it," Keane began, when discussing the immediate pressure Adams is under at Portsmouth after just two games, "particularly Sky Sports. A lot of people out there, punters, are getting brain-washed by what's real and what's not real. That gets to the players sometimes. We're on about league tables after a week; teams losing two games, it's 'a crisis'.
"There was a debate yesterday about Arsene Wenger on Sky. How crazy is that if you step back from it? People on Sky actually getting interviewed about Arsene Wenger, saying he shouldn't be doing this ...
"What that man's done for the game! And we're giving these people air-time. I wouldn't listen to these people in the pub, and yet they're on television constantly. What you've got to do is not to get sucked into any of that nonsense and try and focus on your job. But it's hard because people take notice of what's being said.
"Somebody said to me, 'Tony Adams has had a tough start'. He has had a tough start! He's played Liverpool away and a difficult game against Wigan at home. The average manager now, his lifespan is going down and down. I keep saying hopefully managers will be given an opportunity but the way punters are getting brain-washed every week, it's crazy."
Sunderland host Portsmouth today, which is why Keane was discussing Adams. Keane said he will not be doing so in a television studio soon. "I was asked last week by ITV to do the Celtic game," he said.
"A couple of weeks before that I was asked to do the United game against Celtic at Old Trafford. I think I've done it once for Sky. Never again. I'd rather go to the dentist. You're sitting there with people like Richard Keys and they're trying to sell something that's not there.
Dressing
"After the Newcastle game, we had Keys on saying we've never seen anything like it, dressing things up that weren't really there, just because he was in a bad mood. If you're going to watch a game of football, just go and watch it.
"Anytime I watch a game on television I have to turn the commentators off. They say, 'He's playing really well' and I'm thinking, 'No, he's not'. My advice to anyone is don't listen to any of the experts. Will Arsene Wenger be remembered in 25, 50, 100 years' time? Bet your life he will. Will any of these people on the television yesterday be remembered? None whatsoever."
Keane, who was this week charged by the FA after being sent to the stands at Chelsea last Saturday, also criticised officialdom and the Respect agenda launched at the start of the season. "Maybe it's just a PR gimmick," he said.
There is not much confidence either that Keane will convince the FA of his case.
"The last time, the FA had a murder lawyer against me and he was absolutely brilliant -- for some comments in my book about some Norwegian player at Man City. I bet he was expensive, just to make sure they won the bloody case. Not that you get a fair hearing," he continued.
Keane's comments will have been one of the rare comforts for Adams this week as his backroom team is now in turmoil following Joe Jordan's decision to follow Harry Redknapp to Tottenham Hotspur.
Adams had intended to have his new staff in place before today's match but instead, the make-up of his backroom is less clear than ever. Martin Keown, to whom he had offered the position of assistant manager, indicated that he would prefer to concentrate on media work, while a possible approach to Dennis Bergkamp did not get off the ground, rather like Bergkamp's trips to matches abroad.
Adams claimed he and Jordan had shaken hands on an agreement on Thursday, but the Scot changed his mind yesterday. The suspicion that Jordan will not be the last person to leave Portsmouth for North London is widespread, with players such as Lassana Diarra, Jermain Defoe, David James and Sylvain Distin mentioned as possible transfer targets in January.
Although Premier League rules would seem to prevent Defoe returning to White Hart Lane within 12 months of his move to Portsmouth, which became permanent in February, the odds against James heading for North London were cut from 10/1 to 5/1 yesterday.
Defeat today against Sunderland will certainly heighten the pressure on Adams, despite his embryonic period in the manager's hot-seat. If he is looking for sympathy, a post-match chat with the opposition boss might just cheer him up. (© The Times, London)
- Michael Walker and Nick Szczepani
