I know what happened last Sunday


The postmortem of United's 6-1 defeat to City is still going on and millions of United fans across the world are still in mourning.

Pundits and media are pointing their fingers at the missed signing of Wesley Sneijder, and at the manager's decision to bring in Jonny Evans, who always seems to have a mistake in him, in the place of Vidic who is fit again.

But I think the problem lies elsewhere. How can a United side which was flying in pre-season and in the beginning of the league, with Jonny Evans and without Sneijder, go from good to bad in a span of three weeks?

If you take a look at the United side three weeks back and now, there's only one missing element, and that's Tom Cleverly. Some of you may not rate Cleverly as a great player. I agree he's still largely untested in the Premier League, but the boy ticks for United. You should remember what Wigan manager Roberto Martinez told before the league started - he said, "Forget Sneijder, Cleverly is going to be the star for United this season". And what happened in the pre-season game against Barcelona which United won? Cleverly's superb substitute appearance turned the game in United's favor.

What Anderson and Fletcher could not provide to United, Cleverly can. The current midfield lineup of Anderson and Fletcher are slow in releasing the ball to the front men. But Cleverly is quick, quick in releasing the ball and puts the ball in perfect places. That's what United was missing in the last three games. Without him, they struggled against Norwich, got battered at Liverpool and humiliated by City.

All other aspects of last Sunday’s defeat, like Evans being selected ahead of Vidic, Hernandez starting on the bench, Rio Ferdinand and Evra misfiring are just secondary reasons.

Last Sunday, United did start the game confidently, and even after a goal down and a man down they kept attacking. With their perfect record at Old Trafford and the Community Shield winning experience against City, they were tend to do that. But if you are toothless in attack, you get attacked. United must rush back Cleverly - only he can provide the bite in their attack.
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Do United Really Need Samir Nasri?



I just don't understand why United have to go after Samir Nasri when there are players like Young, Nani and Valencia in the team. These players are all very similar to Nasri in their style of play. But his colleague Fabregas is the sort of player United should be trying to sign to replace Scholes.

But we all know Fabregas has his heart set on joining Barcelona, while other 'perfect' options like Modric and Sneijder have been made extremely costly by their clubs.

If Nasri is signed, it is just a matter of saying "it's better than nothing" as there aren't many quality players available in the market, and we only need to imagine we have signed a world-class player, which he is not.
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How United played into the hands of Barcelona in their Champions League defeat

When the Barcelona players and their manager Pep Guardiola took turn to praise Javier Hernandez (as if they feared him) before the game, they were plotting to land their fourth Champions League glory. They knew if Hernandez played, it will restrict United to use only two midfielders in the middle of the park and this will make it easier for them to overpower and dominate the midfield.

It's hard to believe Sir Alex Ferguson didn't hear the alarm bells ringing. He must have, but the incredible form of Hernandez must have forced him to keep him in the squad. An option would have been swapping Hernandez for Nani and moving Park Ji-sung inside; alternatively, Darren Fletcher could have come on, allowing Carrick to drop deeper, as Sergio Busquets plays for Barca.

When United fell behind to Pedro's goal, it would have been very difficult for Ferguson to take off Javier Hernandez, as he is one of his main goal threats, but, once Wayne Rooney restored parity, though, the change could have been made at half-time. But Ferguson didn't. United needed three in midfield, where they were being overrun.

United started slow in the second half, and sadly before they could get their leg in, they found themselves out of it. Once the Messi goal went in the 54th minute, the fate of United was sealed. They didn't look like they will have any chance of mounting a fight-back, because by then Xavi and Iniesta had taken complete control of the midfield. United ran after the ball like a late-night drunkard, but, like a kid’s possessiveness for his own toy, Barcelona kept the ball to themselves, and the crown. This is their third victory in six seasons.

Despair for United, having lost both their recent final appearances against Barca in such humiliating fashion. Rio Ferdinand fumed United should have stopped Barca, but I still think United would have lost in whatever formation they could have sent their team out, though the margin of the loss could have been lessened had they gone with three midfielders. Barcelona were so much superior to them. There’s no shame in losing to one of the greatest football teams of all times.

Barcelona showed the world how to play football, and when they do, you can only sit back and think what a beautiful game football is.
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The Spectacular Fall of Chelsea

They conquered what they saw. They battered their enemies. Their empire stood firm at the top of the order. But one day, like the curse on Karna, the ill-fated king of Anga, their skills deserted them. Their nerves rattled. They fell prostrate at the feet of their enemies and surrendered. Their kingdom was lost.

I'm talking about Chelsea Football Club. In the beginning of the season pundits predicted Chelsea to comfortably run away with the title this season. And a run of high-scoring victories made many to believe they were on course for an uneventful title defense. But their flying start soon came to a screeching halt. Less than eight months after winning The Double, Chelsea are a broken team and there seems no way back.

Though I personally predicted Chelsea to lose points in the middle of the season, the slump they are in now is never predicted. One victory in nine and 10 points from the last 11 games is the worst run since 1995-96. Chelsea is bottom of the form table. No one possibly could have predicted this.

One can tell many reasons for their woeful run of nightmarish defeats- aging squad, injuries, small first team etc. Along with Wigan, Chelsea’s senior squad of 19 (including three keepers) are the smallest in the Premier League.

Perhaps it’s a combination of all the above said factors with bad luck sprinkled over it, or it may be confidence that is in short supply at the moment. When your confidence is low, your concentration can never be high and you tend to leak goals, and even turn into your own goal. But having said all these, a team like Chelsea cannot become a bad team so soon. After all they are the defending champions.

Their plight remains as much of a mystery as United's unbeaten run. The Sun asked, "What on earth did they do in sacking Ray Wilkins?"
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United Turn Up The Tempo

Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
The world is going gaga over United's crushing 7-1 defeat of Blackburn over the weekend. After a lackluster performance against 9 men Wigan in the previous Weekend, much of the disappointment was vented on a hapless Blackburn who had lost several key players to injury.

Nevertheless, I'm over-joyed for the first time this season. This is United's biggest win since AS Roma were beaten by the same score line in April 2007. Berbatov will obviously get all the attention for that stunning performance. I also think a couple of goals were handed to him on a plate by Allardyce's compliant Blackburn team but some were worth watching again and again.

For me, a large reason for United playing so well in this game was Anderson. He looked like a train on the go and didn't stop running. His box-to-box play was magnificent. And Rooney, though he didn't feature in the scorer's list, was world-class. He seemed to play the Scholes role and he really showed his touch which made Sir Alex to wax lyrics about his performance after the game. But for Berbatov, taking into account his inconsistency, the question that is left hanging in the air was "when next?"

This weekend also saw United marching to the top of the table, and staying two points clear off Chelsea and Arsenal thanks to the Chelsea's failure to beat Newcastle on Sunday. Earlier in the season I had predicted Chelsea to lose games in the middle of the season, but to my surprise they have started their losing streak much early on. But I would be a fool if I ever write them off.

A game is won or lost in the mid field. When Lampard and Essian, the twin anchors of Chelsea are not playing, there is a kind of shakiness about them that they look like a ship dangerously sailing on turbulent waters. In the first place, it is bad business from their part to have to rely on them too much. But again, having announced they are going to be back soon, probably as early as next weekend, they have a fighting chance of reclaiming the title this season because I secretly fear for United.

Despite an impressive performance this time around, I fear for their "undefeated" tag. In the past, teams who have gone undefeated for long, have gone through tough times and lost many points in a row once they lose their record. I fear the same for United. If that is to happen, and If United is to surrender the lead, I would only be lamenting about the points United lost already by drawing games, than losing games.
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New EPL Season Warm-Up

After the gloom and doom of the World Cup exit and Manchester United surrendering the title to Chelsea last season, my antenna of hope is now beginning to pick up positive signals - from Old Trafford, at least. England, who cares? I would want to duck the issue like the way Ashley Cole stumbled away from Fabio Capello’s inviting hand in the Community Shield final.

Well, many of my fellow fans were worried about the lack of new signings made by Manchester United, but after the emphatic victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield, I believe some of you might have given your frustrations a much needed break.

I still think Manchester United are strapped for cash despite Sir Alex and Gill repeatedly claiming to have funds available, and I don’t think they will sign any big names in this transfer slot. But on the other side, I reckon we have enough resources already to mount a credible title challenge this year, and possibly win it. I would want to showcase the Community Shield victory as proof.

Though it is still early days, and it is foolhardy to bet United will win the title this year, nevertheless the victory has in fact suggested our players are much sharper than when they opened their title defense same time last year.

United were caught short in their pursuit of Chelsea towards the end of last season when Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Federico Macheda were all injured, leaving Dimitar Berbatov as our only fit striker. Lack of options up front, as well as a chronic injury list in defense midway through the season, cost United the title. But with Rooney and Berbatov looking sharp against Chelsea, Owen and Macheda fit again, United could not be in better shape.

New signing Javier Hernandez has impressed me greatly, and his partnership with Berbatov is something I'm eagerly awaiting to see. The pair has seemed to be a match made in heaven all through the pre-season, and it would be interesting to see how they fare in the real test. Chris Smalling did not have a great start, but to his defense, Evra and Vidic also took a while to hit form with United.

This pre-season so far has been pretty uneventful for Manchester United fans, except for some happy results in friendlies in the United States and Ireland. The spot light has been mostly on neighbors and rivals City thanks to their spending spree once again. Money cannot guarantee success immediately, but I see them eventually winning the title in the near future if they continue to do reckless spending. Having said that, I don’t see any close danger to United this season from City. As Sir Alex put it, they have not got a single world class player in their squad. David Silva, Yaya Toure and Boateng are good players, but not yet world class. By looking at their current squad, which is unwisely huge - I presume Manchini will have a tough time in keeping egos at bay, I don’t see them winning anything this year.

In the United States, Sir Alex also outlined how his eventual successor at Old Trafford should be like. Martin O'Neill, a candidate touted as a future replacement for the great man, has dramatically quit Aston Villa five days before the season starts. I have always been a big fan of this guy from his days at Leicester where he did a more than decent job in transforming the club from a lowly second-division team to one that regularly feature in the top ten in the EPL. I used to love the sight of him jumping up and down the sideline at Celtic and Villa, but recent news has suggested his flaws in man-management. Some members of Villa Park staff questioned O’Neill’s loyalty to certain players, and O'Neill reportedly had a huge bust-up with Nigel Reo-Coker, he allegedly grabbed Reo-Coker's throat after the player told O'Neill to "F*** off". Okay, now off from the potential successor list, I guess.
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World Cup: The Woes of England

I was an odd man out, as a England supporter, in a land of mad mad football fans (Kerala) who painted their houses and automobiles in the colors of Argentina and Brazil. I braved the booes that flew in from the opposition factions, and continued to blow the vuvuzela for Three Lions until it all ended at Bloemfontein on 26th June, so fast as it had began. The Three Lions bowed out meekly like Three Kittens.

England has always been a much hyped team ever since their victory in 1966. Over-hyped or under-achievers, they could never get anywhere close to that dizzy heights in any cup competition after 1966. Much of the malaise has been attributed to the Premier League that leaves the players physically and mentally drained for any kind of close season competitions. Arguments are rife on installing a month-long winter break as in Germany. There are also calls to reduce the number of teams in the BPL which can help in limiting fixture congestion.

But one should understand these discussions started much before England's defeat way back at Euro 2004, and with the latest loss, it has only gained momentum, and a final solution may still be decades away.

The English have a habit of talking big, and actually not doing anything. More than anything else, it's the English football system that is more culpable for their failings. Sacking Fabio Capello or booting off some of the so called "Golden Generation" of stars could only make matters worse.

Howard Wilkinson on Monday explained how he had written a report for the FA back in 1997 which said English football needed to devote more resources to youth development, spend more time on technical skills, build a national football centre and prepare for a future when 4-4-2 will be obsolete.

As a fan I can only hope for a better future....but for now, as a true lover of football in general, I need to pick another team. C'mon Spain, c'mon....
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Why Messi is Not My Kind of Super Star


Messi may be officially the best footballer in the world, but not to me. Ronaldo?, worse off. Me, an avid fan of Manchester United do not want to put Rooney on the pedestal either.

I never rated Ronaldo, the former United winger, as someone worthy of winning all the accolades he did win. He is too much of a show pony for my liking. He never played his best against top teams, the only better performance coming against Chelsea in the 2008 champions League final.But perhaps the 80 million pounds Real paid for him would not be considered a mammoth sum considering the money the club would generate selling his shirt. But when I look at it from a pure football mind, I often cringe.

After last season's second leg clash of the El Classico, Spanish media ran a headline "Too much Messi for CR9" in their comparison with Messi. Ronaldo was lost on the pitch, he was turned into a roadrunner chasing shadows.

Rooney is the second best footballer for me at the moment. Let me say I have not counted Messi as first. Rooney is a workaholic. He has unbelievable energy. A bull of a player who runs from post to post, tackles fearlessly, and fights like a warrior. He is a genius in the making. Yes, still not there. I think it will take just one more year for him.

Messi is a magician. He certainly, plainly, clearly is a better player than Ronaldo. But why he is not my kind of super star is simply because of his less involvement in the overall play in any given game. He may have scored some unbelievable goals, may have done some weaving solo runs, but that does not impress me much (in the lines of Shania Twain). He goes missing for long periods in the game, then like one possessed spirit, he haunts the opposition goal post, makes a quick-fire goal, and goes missing again. This has added an unpredictability aspect to his play. He may produce a magic, or go lost completely. All the good things Messi has done so far have had its origin in the midfields of Barcelona, where the imperial Xavi Hernandez rules. This can be further illustrated by the fact Messi has not yet showed his true potential in the blue and white strip of Argentina.

I guess by now you should have picked hints to who I think the greatest player on the planet now. Yes, it’s Xavi Hernandez. He is the heart beat of Barcelona, not Messi. One day I set out to count how many times he would lose the ball, but the bloody guy never lost the ball even once. For many, he is already in the same bracket with Zidane. But the only flip side is he is not marketing himself like Ronaldo and Messi does. And this is a sin in today's world.
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Rafael Benítez - a failure as Kop boss

I believe, Liverpool are finally ready to see off Rafael Benítez this summer. He has already booked his tickets, it is rumored. The destination is yet to be finalized. But I think he would fly in the general direction of Italy where Inter Milan (if Jose Mourinho failed to deliver Champions League) and one certain Juventus would be waiting with the net to catch the man if he jumps off the plane in their zone.

Other rumored destination is the blue side of Manchester. Highly unlikely though, yet one cannot completely discount the idea. If Manchester City happened to wrestle the fourth spot away from Tottenham, then Benitez, I reckon will be a good choice if they want to establish themselves in Europe.

Benitez's European pedigree is undoubted. He is regarded as someone who knows a thing or two about how to make inroads in the Champions League.

But if City are also targeting domestic titles, then it is better to look away from Benitez. His record in the English Premier League, so far, has failed to impress anyone.

There are mixed reactions to his failings in transfer dealings. So far in his tenure Liverpool have acquired almost 66 new players, and have sold almost double this figure with a reported loss of over 80 million pounds. It is argued that many players were bought behind his back or without his approval. Whatever it is, I do not want to further talk about this.

But at the end of the day, jokes apart, if he did fly away from Liverpool, I would say it is his failing to develop and improve players that came to his undoing.

None of the local players have made the progression from the Academy to the first team under his management while promising youngsters such as Stephen Warnock, Danny Guthrie and Adam Hammill have been sold to smaller clubs.

No current first team player has improved to a great deal. Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun had made a few heads turn. But given the kind of players they were before, the level of improvement made is minimal or almost nill.

Let us compare the scenario with Manchester United. In the last five years many players have shown tremendous improvement. Ronaldo went on to win World player of the year award. Rooney has become one of the top three players in the world. Vidic and Patrice Evra have been rated as one of the best in their respective positions. Darren Fletcher has had phenomenal improvement. Nani has started to exhibit his abilities. Giggs and Scholes are still firing in their grey.

If this is something to go by, Benitez's time as manager in the Mersey side, should go down largely as a failure than anything else.
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Premier League - The Fallen Angel?

Fall, decline, demise - are some of the words that flashed in the media headlines in their claim that the Premier League has lost its first place among European leagues after the defeat of Arsenal and Manchester United in the Champions League. This leaves CL with no English representation in the semi-finals for the first time since 2003. In my opinion this should only be seen as a momentary blip or a culmination of bad luck.

I do not think the standards of the Premier League have fallen over the last year. It has in fact become stronger overall. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United arguably did not play up to their potential. But this wobble by the 'Big Four' has lot to do with the emergence of teams like Manchester City, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton. Because of this sudden sprout, the number of 'big games' have drastically increased. For example, a couple of years earlier a Manchester United game against Aston Villa would not have sounded as 'big' as it now.

The strain and tiredness that follows after every big game will have a telling effect in maintaining the fitness of the team. And this is another reason why big teams have lost more games this season than the previous years. I believe the Big Four will be shaken even harder next season.

The premier League is no longer a two horse race or a four horse race. It is race of champions, and this has truly enriched the league. With teams, this summer, planning to add depth and quality in their squad, another round of complete European dominance is not too far away.
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Let's Pat The Dust Off Our Backs, and Move On

Yes. We lost to Bayern. We lost to Chelsea. But let's stop lamenting. Let's clean away the debris and look ahead.

The last 10 days had been difficult. But these games have let us know where we stand. We have been caught out in broad day light. We squirmed like a naked girl in the middle of a crowd trying to cover one area, but inadvertently exposing other parts.

Yes we need cover. We need reinforcement in all areas. The sale of Christiano Ronaldo and Tevez have severely dented our chances - there is no shame in accepting. All these days we were trying hard to prove it the other way, but let’s not pretend any more. If it had not been for the extraordinary season of Wayne Rooney, we would not have survived this far.

The name Owen does not ring fear in anybody anymore. The legs of Ryan Giggs and Scholes have become too week for this level. Anderson is no more a favorite son of Fergie. Gary Neville has lost his sharpness.

Now what happens if Rooney is injured, Rio Ferdinand is off touch, Vedic is being haunted (by the ghost of Torres), and Fletcher is tired? The wall that is United will collapse on its feet. This is what has happened in the last 10 days.

Though, at times, we looked well off with what we have got, we need cover right from striker to goalkeeper.

I predict next season to be tougher than ever. We have one certain cross-city rival wagging their tail. Martin O'Neill is making a big noise. Wenger has promised a stronger Arsenal. The wounded Mersey siders may spring up. Tottenham has started playing football at last...I can hear war cry from all over the country. We need to face them with the stealth, venom and ferocity of a devil.
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Should True Fans be Blind?


Not long ago (just before the 2009 Champions League final) I opened a discussion thread in one of the England-based international magazine's online forum. I asked a question Manchester United or Barcelona, which of them was the best team in Europe. I had mentioned myself as a die-hard Manchester United fan. Some of the comments I received were, "of course, Manchester United", "are you a true united fan?” "What a stupid question is that, Manchester united, for sure" ... I was incensed.

These comments are examples of the fact how mad and blind English fans are. Many of them really do not try to see any sense in anything. Manchester United lost the final to Barcelona by two comfortable goals to nil. I’m sure if I open the same thread again, I will get pretty much the same answers. Mad and Blind.

No wonders why they say English football fans are the 3rd most feared group of people in the known universe (behind the SAS and Scottish football fans).

I believe, if you want to call yourself a true fan of any club, you should learn to appreciate others as well. There is nothing wrong in admitting that your team was not good enough.
Sir Alex Ferguson after the final admitted his side was poor. He was magnanimous in defeat and showered Barcelona with praise. After all, who can be a bigger fan of United than Sir Alex Ferguson?
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The Magic of Number Se7en


From the time of legendary George Best to the golden boy of modern day football Christiano Ronaldo, number seven has always been a token of inspiration and magical touch in the colors of Manchester United.

Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona all these players have donned the magnificent no.7 and taken united to the top.

Best made his Red Devil's debut in 1963, at the age of 17. Dubbed, "the fifth Beattle" for his long hair, Best was a hit both on and off the pitch.

He won one league title and one European Cup with Manchester United before leaving in 1974, at the age of 27. In all, Best recorded 466 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions from 1963 to 1974, and scored 178 goals.

Unlike Best, Bryan Robson did not begin his career with Manchester United. In 1981, Robson went to Old Trafford from West Bromwich Albion for a then British record transfer fee of 1.5 million pounds. When asked why he moved to United, he said: "Money wasn't my main motivation. I simply wanted to be a winner."

And a winner he was. He was soon made captain of United and won his first trophy in 1984, when he scored two goals against Brighton to help United win the FA Cup. In the 1990-1991 season, he became the first United captain to win the FA Cup three times. He also won the FA Premiership twice.

His stay at United was not to last though. Despite being the longest serving captain for United, he moved to Middlesbrough in 1994.

Perhaps the most controversial player to wear the No. 7 jersey was Eric Cantona. He came to United from Leeds in 1992, after they had finished 17th of 22 in the newly formed Premier League.

He played a major talismanic role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing powerhouse and he enjoys iconic status at United and in English football. In 2001, he was voted United’s player of the century, and to this day United fans refer to him as "King Eric".

If Eric was King, David Beckham is the most popular number seven of all. Twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 the world's highest-paid footballer, Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champions League matches. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004. With such global recognition he has become an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.

During his time in Manchester, United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003.

Infact, Beckam was ‘sold’ to Real Madrid. But the man who inherited Beckam’s number seven shirt chose to sign up for Real. Christiano Ronaldo, the flamboyant Portuguese was the costliest youngster in British football when he was signed from Sporting Lisbon. Alex Ferguson paid £12.24 million in 2003 for him and in an attempt to defend this sum, he claimed that Christiano is his best buy ever and the most exciting player to watch.

But his words are to become true in a couple of years, when Christiano became not just the best buy of Sir Alex, but the best player in the world, officially. In 2008, Ronaldo won his first UEFA Champions League title, and was named player of the tournament. He was named the FIFPro World Player of the Year and the FIFA World Player of the Year, in addition to becoming Manchester United's first Ballon d'Or winner in 40 years.

Three-time Ballon d'Or winner Johan Cruyff said in an interview on 2 April 2008, "Ronaldo is better than George Best and Denis Law, who were two brilliant and great players in the history of United."

Now we have another Ballon d'Or winner in Micheal Owen to own the number seven jersey. Once a great player, now in the twilight of his career, can he eclipse the magic of number seven? Sir Alex feels, he can. But he is yet to impress for United in the league.

It is understandable why some United fans could not digest the fact he was given a number seven shirt since Owen was a former Liverpool player. Number seven has been an ornamental part of Manchester United and has carried great significance. It is unique to Manchester United.

With other clubs it never had any significance. Arsenal and Liverpool have no number seven in their current squad, and Chelsea has Shevchenko, but a player who has lost his existence.
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Keane: The Auto Biography


I'm a die-hard United fan and I also like Keane a lot. But I would like to see things as it is. Although the book has managed to display Roy Keane with all his arrogance and his unflappable desire to win games…his views and points across many issues, especially episodes about Irish football, I felt (like many others), it is Eamonn Dunphy who is speaking. It is not a bad idea in the first place to get someone like Eamonn Dunphy who is as explosive and articulate as Keane himself, as his ghost-writer. But a careful reader like me, or someone who is familiar with the views of Dunphy (on Irish Football) can make out the flaws in the joins.

The book has also diplomatically put Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson in the right light, although Keane and the Club management had many disparities time and time again. And eventually one such incident led to his unexpected departure on 18 November 2005. Recent incidents also prove that Keane has greater admiration for Brian Clough than Sir Alex. So the book is not as honest as mentioned by some newspaper review printed in the back cover.

I would have loved to read some more of his personal life with his family especially wife and kids. I think I rarely saw his wife’s name mentioned. It would definitely have added some extra human touch to the character, Keane.

But being said all these, this book is certainly the most captivating and compelling read among all footballers' autobiographies. The book has managed to vividly capture his career chart starting from his boyhood days. His struggle to get into the English Premier League, his first encounter with Brian Clough and his record-breaking transfer to Manchester United have all been wonderfully documented.

The book may have come out a long while ago, but it still holds great appeal. I would like to see an updated edition or a second volume on this.
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