Roy Keane: Why I left Sunderland
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Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has spoken for the first time about the reasons behind his departure from Wearside.
The former Manchester United captain arrived at the Stadium of Light in August 2006 and guided the Black Cats to promotion to the Premier League in 2007.
But grew disenchanted once Texas-based private equity tycoon Ellis Short became the biggest investor in Sunderland in September 2008.
Keane then decided to resign in December and said his relationship with the American investor was uncomfortable from the start.
He told the Irish Times: "We had sat down with him a couple of times, Niall (Quinn) and I. I thought, hmm, the dynamics are changing here.
"He said he had read my book. I felt he was thinking from the start that I wasn't for him. He sort of knew this wasn't going to be a long-term relationship.
"It started with a demand to know where I had been the previous day, that he wanted me available at all times. It was a disappointment.
"Then there were accusations about how often I came in, about moving my family up. And it was the tone. I couldn’t give my heart and soul with this fella on my shoulder.
"So I rang my lawyer Michael Kennedy and said, ‘Michael, speak with whoever you have to. I’m done with Sunderland.’"
Keane also admitted that he was disappointed in Quinn's apparent change in attitude over his managerial style.
He said: "He was talking to me about the players needing to come into work with a smile on their face. That really concerned me.
"The day I walked into Sunderland, putting a smile on the faces of well-paid players was the last thing anybody wanted me to do.
"My question to Niall was, who are you listening to here? It wasn't Niall. It was the undercurrent. Where it was coming from. Smiles on players' faces? It's my job to get them training well.
"There was good spirit. That's what had kept us in the Premiership last year. Our spirit. That got the alarm bells ringing. Without a shadow of a doubt. The American fella would have been on Niall's case."
Despite the circumstances surrounding his departure from Wearside, the Irishman does intend to make his comeback soon.
Keane added: "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 around Mexico? I have five kids. Football is in my blood, I’d just had enough at Sunderland. Things had changed. End of bloody story."
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The former Manchester United captain arrived at the Stadium of Light in August 2006 and guided the Black Cats to promotion to the Premier League in 2007.
But grew disenchanted once Texas-based private equity tycoon Ellis Short became the biggest investor in Sunderland in September 2008.
Keane then decided to resign in December and said his relationship with the American investor was uncomfortable from the start.
He told the Irish Times: "We had sat down with him a couple of times, Niall (Quinn) and I. I thought, hmm, the dynamics are changing here.
"He said he had read my book. I felt he was thinking from the start that I wasn't for him. He sort of knew this wasn't going to be a long-term relationship.
"It started with a demand to know where I had been the previous day, that he wanted me available at all times. It was a disappointment.
"Then there were accusations about how often I came in, about moving my family up. And it was the tone. I couldn’t give my heart and soul with this fella on my shoulder.
"So I rang my lawyer Michael Kennedy and said, ‘Michael, speak with whoever you have to. I’m done with Sunderland.’"
Keane also admitted that he was disappointed in Quinn's apparent change in attitude over his managerial style.
He said: "He was talking to me about the players needing to come into work with a smile on their face. That really concerned me.
"The day I walked into Sunderland, putting a smile on the faces of well-paid players was the last thing anybody wanted me to do.
"My question to Niall was, who are you listening to here? It wasn't Niall. It was the undercurrent. Where it was coming from. Smiles on players' faces? It's my job to get them training well.
"There was good spirit. That's what had kept us in the Premiership last year. Our spirit. That got the alarm bells ringing. Without a shadow of a doubt. The American fella would have been on Niall's case."
Despite the circumstances surrounding his departure from Wearside, the Irishman does intend to make his comeback soon.
Keane added: "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 around Mexico? I have five kids. Football is in my blood, I’d just had enough at Sunderland. Things had changed. End of bloody story."
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Related links:
Team
Personal
Also see:
