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LoginRoy is keen on bringing old rival Viera to Sunderland
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Sunderland boss Roy is keen on bringing old rival Viera to the Stadium of Light in January
Sunderland manager Roy Keane wants to take Patrick Vieira to the Stadium of Light in the New Year. Keane made his first inquiry in the summer transfer window over the availability of his former Arsenal rival from their Premier League playing days but was put off by the former France midfielder’s enormous wages.
But with new backer Ellis Short in the Sunderland boardroom, Keane is preparing for a new move for the Inter Milan midfielder, who was Arsenal captain during Keane's tenure as Manchester United skipper.
Keane is ready to smash Sunderland's wage structure to land 32-year-old Vieira, who is unhappy at Inter following Jose Mourinho’s arrival as manager at the San Siro.
The duo were arguably the greatest midfielders of all time and had an unforgettable spat in the Highbury tunnel back in 2005. So Wearside whispers of a summer move for the now Inter Milan ace were greeted with astonishment.
Keane smiled from ear to ear when asked to confirm his interest and said: “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.
“How great is he? 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!”
Keane and Vieira clashed almost every time they met as the figureheads of the United and Arsenal sides battling for Premier League titles in the Nineties, but their most famous coming together was in the tunnel at Highbury.
On Friday, Keane blamed his former United team-mate Gary Neville for the altercation, but said he would do it all again, if only he had the opportunity. The Sunderland manager said: ‘There is only one person to blame for that, and that’s Gary Neville. 'He started it and then went missing because someone had a go at him as he was coming in from the warm up, so Gary told me.
‘I didn’t think it was right and I would do it again tomorrow. 'Gary was a team-mate and I thought it was out of order coming from the warm-up and I had to defend my team-mate. ‘They were the occasions against Arsenal.
'Fortunately, I missed the one at Old Trafford with the pizza because I was sick, but they were the battles you faced. 'Whether it be in the tunnel or at half-time, you still have to win the game on the pitch. ‘A lot of that was blown out of all proportion by the media but it was just the battle, the tensions between the two teams, between the two managers and the two clubs
‘It was absolutely brilliant. 'I don’t think there is that rivalry out there at the moment, not like there was between us and Arsenal. ‘It was everything. The players did not particularly like each other, the teams were very close, the managers, both teams were fighting for titles.
‘Of course, I respected them, that’s a good word, respect. 'But, by God, you looked forward to those games. ‘They didn’t hold back either. Let’s not put halos on the Arsenal players, people like Keown and Vieira. 'They would give it back and that was the good thing about it. 'You have to give and take.’
Keane admits he feels like a novice in the Premier League management stakes, saying: ‘You are pitting your wits against these brilliant clubs and managers, like Martin O'Neill last week. ‘They have vast experience and I feel like a baby, really, just starting out.’
Edited by zocoss 04 Oct `08, 10:27AM
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roy just wants to hao lian and create news for himself la. wtf.
“How great is he? 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!”
roy cant even control his own players in the end lor. Only knows how to scold and criticize them and eventually got sent off by saf.
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Originally posted by weiz87:
i think Viera might go. didnt hierro from real madrid to bolton. y not Viera from inter milan to sunderland.. Viera reaching his retirment age soon..
its not about from intermilan to sunderland.. but the issue is more on working with keane.. Not even with keane, but under keane smore..
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Originally posted by red_amoeba:
for me, Keane is the core of Man U during the late 90s. I still remember him leading Man U come back against Juventus in the CL – where he scored one goal and inspired a come back win.
i cried during this game. as did i cried again during man u 4-3 real madrid at old trafford, fat boy scored hattrick -_-
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... it shd hav been "
