 [Blog] Getting Keaner!Written by chripswich on Tuesday, 21st Sep 2010 12:16 I cannot say I am 100% convinced yet but I’m more than happy and actually I am starting to wonder whether I will ever totally worship at Roy’s altar, as the man is defiantly an enigma and you never know what you’re going to get or what he’s going to do or say next. BUT!.. I am certainly more of an “inner†than an “outer “ for lots of reasons and not because we are lying second in the table. Hmmm? Actually I don’t think we’ve played that great yet this season. Whilst the gods were very much against us at this stage last year, I think they have been smiling down on us for a month or so now. We’ve played decent sides at the right time and its been guile and effort that’s got us up to second. There was little those gods could for us against Warnock's tribe however - they were a class apart and what we must aspire to. Luckily the gods came back with cap in hand on Saturday and placed that poor young defender in the right place at the wrong time (for him and Cardiff that is), it turned the game and the points were ours from then on. As Roy says “you need a bit of luck in this gameâ€. When Wrighty dropped the ball at Bramall Lane last season a great away victory was turned into a disappointing draw. Rather than leaving Sheffield on a high, chins were on chests and it shaped what was to come for the next two months. So maybe an own goal from an 18- year-old Cardiff kid might be the difference this season. That combined with the emerging talents we seem to be fielding. Talking of kids and talent, I wrote a blog last season that said I would be watching what Connor Wickham decided to do and would be judging the real attitude towards Keano in the dressing room on his decision. He signed with us! I was proud he did. Anyone who witnessed first hand him running the Newcastle (champions) defense ragged in April will know what a special player we have on our hands. I was at the game and met up with some Geordie pals after for a beer (or 12!) and all they could talk about was “your big young fella†up front. They were happy about their promotion party but Wickham was the main topic of conversation. I was chuffed to hear them say he was the most impressive talent they’d seen at St James' Park all season. How long is it since we’ve had that kind of accolade poured on one of our players? and not from the press, from the terraces. I’d take that over some Fleet Street hack's opinion any day. Wickham is well advised and also his dad takes a watchful eye over him. Would he have signed for an “over-bearing bully boy who gets on with no oneâ€? Nope! I don’t think so. And it seems we’ve got rid of a few disruptive influences and bench warmers. Do we miss Garvan, Wrighty, Walters, Couñago, et al? I loved Keano's attitude towards Lisbie. It mirrored our own didn’t it? Like many others I would have liked to see exactly what Jordan Rhodes was capable of in a better team and I also would have like to see David Wright offered a new contract but that’s about it. I cannot disagree with any other decision that Keano has taken. Keane knows what he wants. Perhaps he has to learn a bit more flexibility to be the real deal in management. Only he knows that but if he ever feels the same I am sure he will apply a bit of bendability as he does seem to self-analyse and make changes 'within' when need be. I actually think last season did Keano some good. It taught him he still has much to learn – much like he says about Wickham. Feet firmly on the ground. He seems to agree with me about our play this season. He also says we’ve ridden our luck. He’s the second richest manager in the whole of UK football. So I admire his down to earth approach. He doesn’t have to be doing this. He does it because he loves it. He also appears to now love the club and also his home. He lives very close to me and has embraced the locality and hasn’t locked himself away from onlookers. I could have told you Triggs wasn’t dead! (how pathetic the press are!) as he’s walked past my door most days. Whilst Keano is far from being an idol of mine (yet!) I do have one. A certain Paul Weller. I think there are comparisons to be drawn between the two... Both hugely successful where it matters, both passionate and creative in their businesses. Both in touch with their roots. They both love their families and their countries, both avid haters of the b***s**t that goes along with their industries, both hugely supportive of triers and people with passion that equals their own (even if they don’t possess the complete ability). They have no time for those that haven’t. Again look at Lisbie and in the end Walters (after having been so supportive of him) But also look at what Keano said publically about Liam Trotter who chose Millwall over us. He said, “We were disappointed, but you move on. Players have the option when their contracts are up and he took that option to go to Millwall. "I wish him well, he never caused me an ounce of trouble and I’ll always have a bit of time for him… Sometimes when a young player comes up through a club they need to leave the club to go to another level and that’s what he’s done. I’ve a lot of time for Trots, he’s a good lad and a good player.†Again, are these the words of a megalomaniac distant from the dressing room? He admires attitude. He’s taken that admiration from the pitch to management and let's not forget OUR manager was one of the greatest midfield talents in the history of the game. He’s learning and he knows that. Like Weller once wrote, is he “the best thing to ever happen†to our club? Who knows? Will he take us from the “wild wood†of Championship football? Again, who knows? But am I “going underground†while he’s in the dug-out? Definitely not! “That’s entertainmentâ€, they say, so lastly what I like about Roy the most is that he is very entertaining, there's never a dull moment! I think only the most blinkered Town fan would disagree with that! It's great to have some personality around the club, in the press conferences - and most importantly in the dug-out and on the training ground. And a training ground he only lives a five-minute drive from. Yes, like he promised, he's proved his commitment! I’ll take all that for now and I for one will “shout (all the way) to the top!†(unless QPR keep playing the way they have, in which case second will do nicely for now!). COYB! Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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