Spectator Sport

2 May 2009

Roy of the Tractor Boys

There’s a dismal trend among top managers these days to slag each other off — an unexpected consequence of the fact that players themselves now don’t speak to journalists except in the most absurdly controlled circumstances. Keane’s not like that: he says it like he sees it. So when he pointed out that his teammates at Manchester United from the 1990s, like Paul Ince, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce and even Mark Hughes, hadn’t actually achieved all that much as managers, he was simply being truthful by his own remorseless standards. But this is why we should love him. He says of himself: ‘I know I’m hard work, I know I’m strange, I know that, but I think in a nice way.’ And of his former boss at Old Trafford: ‘Alex Ferguson comes out and says, “You never know what he is going to do next.” What did he think I was going to do? Go backpacking round Mexico?’ It’s great to have you back, Roy.

Speaking of lovable characters, it’s a joy to see KP in such fine fettle in his motherland. Not with the bat, mind — at the time of writing, he’s notched up 80 runs in five Indian Premier League innings, including a duck and a golden duck. And all for just $1.55 million. His response: ‘You learn a lot more when you lose. Things are hunky dory when you win, you just ride the wave. But in defeat you learn a lot more about your game and certain individuals. These two weeks have been incredible for me as a player.’ I’m thrilled — but let’s hope it’s not quite the same in the Ashes.