轉錄自Sportinglife website
一樣是篇有點長的文章 但不會花很久時間看 用語也不難
我覺得這篇講的很中肯 以週六的勝利來看Keane的離開和曼聯的未來
短短的兩天裡, 在曼聯12年半的隊長離去了
球迷們還沒時間傷心結束 就欣賞到一場精采的比賽
還得分心關注病重的名宿George Best
曼聯一向都在逆境中生存 球員來來去去 但曼聯永遠存在
或許一些磨刀霍霍的媒體還在等下週二的歐冠看好戲
至少週末的勝利揭示了曼聯日後的方向
或許暫時沒有一夫當關的霸王坐鎮
年輕的曼聯能力雖不能和Keane加入時的曼聯相比
但團結一致的努力是無庸置疑的
No Time For Laments As United Move On
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Gone. Not forgotten but maybe better off as a result.
The full fall-out from Roy Keane's seismic departure from Manchester United
may take a few weeks to calculate. But comfortingly for Sir Alex Ferguson,
the early signs are the damage may not be quite as extensive as some fear.
Certainly, those who have predicted the execution of Emperor Ferguson
in the wake of Keane's stunning exit will have to wait at least
until Tuesday's crucial Champions League encounter with Villarreal
before sharpening their knives.
A 3-1 win against Charlton not only proved United's immediate well-being
but the all-round jubilation at Ruud van Nistelrooy's late double
suggested a squad in total harmony.
The handwringing around Old Trafford as the noise of ties being severed
crackled around Manchester yesterday was replaced by a more measured
approach from the visiting fans congregated at the Valley.
One banner proclaimed 'Twelve years of magic. Thanks, Roy' and
a blast of 'Keano, Keano' was heard before the teams emerged for kick-off.
But, interspersed with regular tributes to United's departed leader,
there were also songs of support for Ferguson, who has again exerted
his authority over a club he has dominated for 19 hugely successful years.
Keane has played a major role in many of Ferguson's triumphs of course.
Not since a victorious visit to sunny Carrow Road in August 1993
have United prepared for a Premiership game without his all-encompassing
presence in their squad.
True, the Irishman may have spent lengthy periods sitting in the stands
nursing injuries or brooding on a suspension, but his vast shadow
has always been cast across the United dressing room.
Indeed, it is only a matter of weeks since Keane was a regular visitor
into Ferguson's inner sanctum. An explosive MUTV interview,
so damning it had to be pulled off the schedules, changed that.
Various allegations of training ground bust-ups with Ferguson,
a scrapped reserve-team outing on Thursday, the captaincy being revoked
and an acrimonious team meeting at which Keane laid into
the United manager's trusted assistant Carlos Queiroz have all been aired
in the last 24 hours.
在曼聯和Keane雙分都三緘其口的情況下, 真正發生的事實恐怕永遠無人能知.
但無數的傳言流出: Keane和Ferguson在訓練場上爭執,
週四本來預計在預備隊比賽上場但取消,(這個傳言有點無聊 :P)
被剝奪隊長頭銜, 還有在一次激烈的全隊會議中Keane強烈批評助理教練Queiroz.
The whole truth will probably never be known, as strict confidentiality
now binds both parties.
But the brutal fact is Manchester United have lost their captain,
the man whom Ferguson once described as being able to
win the Grand National, Derby and Boat Race on his own,
without an adequate replacement and seven weeks
before the transfer window opens. Such situations do not occur
without major behind-the-scenes problems.
Now United must stride forward without their leader, burdened, as always,
by the weight of huge expectation.
He may not have declared so publicly, but it is Keane's undoubted fear
the current crop of Red Devils are not up to the task.
Certainly, compared to the imposing figures he bumped into on his first day
at training 12 years ago - Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, Peter Schmeichel,
Steve Bruce, Paul Ince and Mark Hughes - there is a distinct lack of
authority about United circa 2005.
With Gary Neville still missing, the visitors' team-sheet offered
no evidence of a vocal element, save for Alan Smith, whose promptings
come without the authority gained from the unchallenged dominance
Keane enjoyed at the peak of his powers.
United fans whimsically remember Keane's towering performance
in the Champions League semi-final against Juventus six years ago.
On a crisp afternoon at the Valley, there were no individual contributions
which could measure up to that display but even the ultra-critical Keane
would have found it difficult to quibble with United's efforts.
True, the contest could have been wrapped up before the break
and there was some slackness in possession.
But largely, the visitors ran Charlton ragged, exploiting huge spaces
in the Addicks midfield which Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo
raced into with relish.
It is on that pair's young shoulders that United's long-term future
is based but the irony of Smith opening the scoring cannot be underestimated.
After all, following a succession of notable failures,
the feisty Yorkshireman is the latest man to face the challenge of
replacing Keane. The rasping 37th-minute finish may have been
Smith's first goal of the season, but he is already halfway to
matching the master's tally from last term.
Keane has questioned Smith's ability to operate in the central midfield
holding role, yet, now Cork's most famous son is no longer around,
Ferguson is free to revert back to the 4-4-2 formation
the fans have demanded without worrying whether his ageing captain
can take the strain.
The odds may still be on reinforcements. What price Thomas Gravesen
arriving in January before the big fish of Michael Ballack is landed
post-World Cup?
Even in a position of weakness, United operate in a stratosphere
far removed from most of their domestic rivals.
And ultimately, no matter where Keane ends up, or how long Ferguson
remains welded into the Old Trafford hotseat, they will find new heroes,
thrive and prosper.
If anyone needed reminding of that, it was not the songs to Keane
or Ferguson which were belted out with the greatest force,
it was the one dedicated to arguably the greatest player Manchester United
have ever known, stricken hero George Best.
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