Keane puts it all on the line
For all his fearsome passion and ill-tempered conflicts on the field, no footballer has more cold-eyed ambition than Roy Keane.
He will prove it again on Tuesday night with a single-minded gamble as Manchester United attempt to defeat Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League semi-final.
His place in the World Cup as captain of the Republic of Ireland could be at stake as he volunteers to play beneath the shadow of further injury.
Soft options, though, have never been Keane's game. Sir Alex Ferguson's leader, suspended when United won the European Cup in that Barcelona epic three years ago, rubbished the token medal he received that night. He demands the real deal this season in Glasgow on May 15.
However, medical opinion indicates that Keane, following unexpectedly rapid repair work on a torn hamstring, is exposed to serious risk if the suspect muscle suffers another breakdown.
Last night, even Ferguson conceded: 'It's remarkable that Roy is back for us in three weeks. It was a tear in his hamstring and we all thought that was the finish of him for this season.
'But Roy has been flying in training and working like a beast. His recovery has been helped by oxidisation treatment, in which he places himself in a cylinder for four-and-a-half hours a day. He did that in separate 90-minute sessions for three consecutive days before having a week's break, then going through it again.'
Keane appeared as a late substitute in the first leg with Leverkusen, a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night which left the odds stacked ominously against United. But he will not need to be pushed towards the starting line-up. He drives the agenda, and his team-mates are desperate for him to be back.
Ryan Giggs, his deputy as skipper, said: 'I'll be only too happy to hand back the armband to Keano. The return in Leverkusen is such a massive game for us and you want your best players with you. Roy is, without any doubt, our inspiration, so influential in what we do, and I'm sure he'll live up to all of that.
'It's a tremendous feeling to have someone of his stature going over there with you. Three years ago in Juventus, Keano pulled it off for us in this kind of situation. We hope he can do something similar this time. He has healed fast and pushed himself when, really, in his head he was maybe just thinking of the final. He and Scholes missed out on the European Cup last time, and we all want to get them there.'
Ferguson added: 'When the really big games come along you know the Keanes and David Beckhams of this world, while not always delivering, certainly add something to the party.
'The other night in the second half we looked nervous. We probably missed their assurance on the park. This time we will play much better, I'm sure of that. Midfield will be the key to what happens in Germany.'
With such a priority in his mind, Ferguson emphasised his focus has shifted to another recent casualty, achilles victim Juan Sebastian Veron.
'We're nursing him along,' added Ferguson. 'We left him behind for Ipswich to make sure we can build on his level of fitness. He tired against Leverkusen in the second half and that's not usual for him. This weekend we're going to train him really hard to make sure he is right for Tuesday.'
Oh you fecking beauty! Just don't pick up a yellow - please!!
<img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" />
For all his fearsome passion and ill-tempered conflicts on the field, no footballer has more cold-eyed ambition than Roy Keane.
He will prove it again on Tuesday night with a single-minded gamble as Manchester United attempt to defeat Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League semi-final.
His place in the World Cup as captain of the Republic of Ireland could be at stake as he volunteers to play beneath the shadow of further injury.
Soft options, though, have never been Keane's game. Sir Alex Ferguson's leader, suspended when United won the European Cup in that Barcelona epic three years ago, rubbished the token medal he received that night. He demands the real deal this season in Glasgow on May 15.
However, medical opinion indicates that Keane, following unexpectedly rapid repair work on a torn hamstring, is exposed to serious risk if the suspect muscle suffers another breakdown.
Last night, even Ferguson conceded: 'It's remarkable that Roy is back for us in three weeks. It was a tear in his hamstring and we all thought that was the finish of him for this season.
'But Roy has been flying in training and working like a beast. His recovery has been helped by oxidisation treatment, in which he places himself in a cylinder for four-and-a-half hours a day. He did that in separate 90-minute sessions for three consecutive days before having a week's break, then going through it again.'
Keane appeared as a late substitute in the first leg with Leverkusen, a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night which left the odds stacked ominously against United. But he will not need to be pushed towards the starting line-up. He drives the agenda, and his team-mates are desperate for him to be back.
Ryan Giggs, his deputy as skipper, said: 'I'll be only too happy to hand back the armband to Keano. The return in Leverkusen is such a massive game for us and you want your best players with you. Roy is, without any doubt, our inspiration, so influential in what we do, and I'm sure he'll live up to all of that.
'It's a tremendous feeling to have someone of his stature going over there with you. Three years ago in Juventus, Keano pulled it off for us in this kind of situation. We hope he can do something similar this time. He has healed fast and pushed himself when, really, in his head he was maybe just thinking of the final. He and Scholes missed out on the European Cup last time, and we all want to get them there.'
Ferguson added: 'When the really big games come along you know the Keanes and David Beckhams of this world, while not always delivering, certainly add something to the party.
'The other night in the second half we looked nervous. We probably missed their assurance on the park. This time we will play much better, I'm sure of that. Midfield will be the key to what happens in Germany.'
With such a priority in his mind, Ferguson emphasised his focus has shifted to another recent casualty, achilles victim Juan Sebastian Veron.
'We're nursing him along,' added Ferguson. 'We left him behind for Ipswich to make sure we can build on his level of fitness. He tired against Leverkusen in the second half and that's not usual for him. This weekend we're going to train him really hard to make sure he is right for Tuesday.'
Oh you fecking beauty! Just don't pick up a yellow - please!!
<img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" /> <img src="graemlins/nervous.gif" border="0" alt="[Nervous]" />
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