Source: Daily_Mail
The shadow of Roy Keane still looms large over Sunderland's scrap for survival
When Ireland's jubilant players left Bari last week after sealing Giovanni Trapattoni's Italian homecoming with a dramatic last-minute draw, they knew it would be in real comfort.
A few years ago, such a significant result might have resulted in a few drinks and a late night of Ferguson/McGregor proportions, but no such luck for the current Boys in Green.
So keen were some of their employers to preserve them for Barclays Premier League duties at the weekend that players who had spent more than a week on their travels, left southern Italy in private jets. Those still on the team flight each had enough room for a small family.
Much has changed since the Irish team gained their last significant result against Italy with Ray Houghton's winner in the 1994 World Cup Finals. That was the team once taken to Harry Ramsdens fish and chip restaurant by Jack Charlton. Only one man could not hide his disgust at that pre-match ritual.
His name is Roy Keane.
The FAI would have to be a 21st century football organisation to hire a man like Trapattoni for £2million a year, but their renewed attempts at professionalism and player care, although some times flawed, is what the modern day international footballer has grown accustomed to with his club.
It also owes a great deal to Roy Keane.
In 2001, while covering a World Cup qualifier in Cyprus, I was with the press pack enjoying a rare Sunday off ahead of the midweek game. Our match reports were filed, the brief press conference had been covered.
So those who had finished their work relaxed. Some lounged by the pool, I remember three hired a speed boat and the lovely press officer, much-missed Brendan McKenna was with a large group sampling the delights of the local golf course.
Then a large dollop of Roy Keane hit the fan and we ended up back in our air-conditioned rooms. The Ireland captain, on the brink of gaining his 50th cap - which earlier in the week he had shrugged off as meaningless - had given an extraordinary interview to an Irish Sunday newspaper. He was angry and he hit out. The FAI got the full force.
And what riled him more than anything was that the blazers sat in first class at the front of the planes, the players, the Manchester United captain included, sat cramped behind them. Not on the next flight, they didn't. For the record, Keane almost single-handedly beat the Cypriots in one of his best Ireland performances.
He is arguably the best player to have played for Ireland, so Keane knew his place in the squad was safe - for then, at least - and, more importantly, he knew he was right. When retirement came, he knew he was the right man for Sunderland and Sunderland was the right club for him.
He was the nearest we will see to his hero and role model Brian Clough and he was box office for the media - and is much missed by those who cover the club daily. He put the club on the map with his mouth, and his team's football.
Wages and a generous board helped, but Keane was the major reason Sunderland attracted the players to take them from the foot to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship in one season.
The money continued to come his way when they reached the promised land.
They survived last season's relegation battle, as he said they would, but he then predicted last summer's signings would put such troubles behind the club. Roy wrong? Not quite. He could see trouble ahead so he bottled it and walked away.
Clearly the autonomy he wanted, which he had witnessed at first hand under Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson, was slipping from his hands. He says he didn't like the direction the club was heading, and he didn't just mean in the league table.
Keane could see that another unwelcome battle at the wrong end of the table was ahead. Perhaps he thought the drop was inevitable. He certainly seemed to lose his dressing room very early in the season.
And deep down, he must know he is to blame because his buys have not been good enough. He says he needed numbers in the club, the number who are simply not up to the top flight is scary. Expensive and scary. When new investor Ellis Short was prepared to question them, that was not appreciated.
On paper, it is arguably the best squad Sunderland has ever assembled, it is certainly the best paid, but somehow, yet again, they are embroiled in a fight for top flight survival for the next seven weeks.
Chairman Niall Quinn needs them to succeed. Thousands of Sunderland supporters will turn theirs and their kids' backs on his latest innovative season ticket offer if it means a return to the Football League. Under Quinn, those days were supposed to be in the past.
He bravely turned to Ricky Sbragia to replace Keane and initially the soft-spoken Scot's very different hands-on approach worked and pushed the club towards mid-table. A run of two wins from 12 leaves only Newcastle and Middlesbrough between them and West Brom, where they travel next.
Before that they have home games against Manchester United and Hull City and even with the Tigers also fighting for their lives, that promises to be the more realistic opportunity for three points.
That is when Quinn's gamble will be put to the test; when Sbragia and his players have to gel, re-discover their form, hide their fear sand start scoring goals again. They have proved it can be done, but it is a big ask.
They have hit the net eight times since the turn of the year.
If Sunderland cannot win at least three more matches, Alan Shearer could rescue Newcastle at their bitter local rivals' expense. And Roy Keane will be proved right again.
