Keane comments expose the truth about United win
ROY KEANE’S lifelong refusal to throw his lot in with those who enjoy the easy life, and also like making the easier choices in life, was never more stark this week. And it was indeed a week when football fans needed to hear from Roy.
Because, for a brief moment this last week, before Roy said what he wanted to say, football fans were being told that Jose Mourinho and his over-paid and self-indulgent footballers had helped to raise a city from its knees.
Only days after the horrific bombing that killed 22 innocent men, women and children, United defeated Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final. In doing so, they earned a priceless Champions League place for the 2017-18 season, something that in time may be hugely valued by a great number of Mancunians.
It’s exact value in the middle of this last week, however, as the identities of some of the victims had not still not been released, remained very questionable.
Winning the game certainly must have soothed in some shape or form, even if it offered only the tiniest and fleeting distraction from the terror that had filled so many lives.
But did those same people in Manchester need to see Mourinho rolling on the ground with his son in the most ecstatic celebrations of his brilliant career? Did they need to see him gesticulating to the crowd and boasting about winning three trophies (even if they were second-rate trophies) in his first season?
Did they need to see the players dancing after their victory over the Dutch side?
It might have been more appropriate if the Manchester United manager and his players had behaved with the most impeccable level of decorum and respect on the final whistle in Stockholm. It might have been in proper taste if they had simply walked to the centre circle, joined their hands and silently made a heartfelt thank-you to their supporters - and their city.
After that, a slow, dignified walk around the ground to thank their supporters who had made the journey to support them would also have been right and sufficient. While Roy Keane did not rebuke Mourinho and his players for their actions after the match, his comments certainly put their behaviour in a corner where it was easy to see it for what it was. A pampered few sportsmen acting selfishly and ignorantly.
‘A game of football is not going to benefit the people who died, people who lost people and families,’ stated Keane, who still lives amongst the people of Manchester. ‘No I don’t get carried away that football can help any situation like that. It kind of tells you how unimportant football is in a sense. The idea that football is more important than life and death... that’s ridiculous.’ Roy Keane’s comments reminded us that football is only a game and, during a sad week, an unimportant game and one of little relevance.