Keane Livid Over Clarke Remarks

Irish Voice Sport

Keane Livid Over Clarke Remarks

January 14, 2008

by Cathal Dervan

SUNDERLAND’S Irish defender Clive Clarke, the player who survived a heart attack on the pitch during a loan spell at Leicester earlier this season, is heading for a fiery showdown with Roy Keane after offering a bizarre insight into his manager’s way of doing things.

Co. Wicklow-born Clarke, currently working on his fitness after that heart scare, has claimed in a newspaper interview that Keane the manager is far from the pussycat we were led to believe he has transformed into.

Quoted in the Sunday Independent, Clarke said, “He is going around booting chairs and throwing things. He’s never going to give you confidence, he doesn’t talk to the lads.

“If the lads at Manchester United couldn’t reach the standards he wanted, and they are some of the best players in the world, then it’s going to be a lot harder for the lads at Sunderland to reach them.

“I was never really part of his plans, and that is not going to change because something bad happened. We’re not pally so there’s no real reason to speak to one another. But, I probably speak to him more than the players who train there every day now.”

Keane is reported to be livid with the remarks and plans talks with the player, still on the books at the Stadium of Light, to discuss them.

Meanwhile, Keane has failed with another bid for Reading winger Stephen Hunt after the Waterford star admitted he is interested in a move to Sunderland.

Hunt scored both of Reading’s goals in Saturday’s FA Cup third round draw with Tottenham and has discussed the bid with Reading, which is now prepared to offer him a new contract.

“I told the club what I thought about that, and that will remain private. The club knows my situation and how I feel and we’ll see what materializes,” said Hunt.

“It’s entirely up to Reading. Sunderland is a big club and Roy’s doing a great job there. But I’m here, Reading know my situation and I’ll give my best for them.”

The Wearside club are also in talks with former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune after he spent the past month training with the club.

Sunderland were thrashed 3-0 at home to Wigan in the FA Cup on Saturday, and Keane claimed afterwards that he was ashamed of the performance just like the fans.

“A Sunderland fan said towards the dug-out, ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves,’ and I couldn’t argue with that. I am pretty ashamed today, I have to say,” Keane said.

“They were shouting it at me and I take that on board. I am ashamed today, very ashamed. Sunderland losing 3-0 at home in the cup to Wigan is very hard to take. Our fans have been fantastic and I can understand their feelings.”

Boruc Stays

CELTIC fans were given cause for celebration last weekend when the club confirmed that Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc has signed a new contract that keeps him at the club until 2011.

Boruc has agreed the deal despite interest from AC Milan and Arsenal among others, and is delighted to be staying with the Scottish champions.

“I am very grateful to the Celtic management for putting their trust in me,” said Boruc. “That’s why I accepted the new contract offered to me and I have extended it for three more years.”

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said, “Clearly this is great news for the club and we are delighted to have agreed this new extended contract with Artur. He has made a massive contribution to our success in the past two seasons and will hopefully continue to do so in the years ahead.”

Strachan has also completed the signing of Andreas Hinkel from the Spanish side Sevilla for a fee of around $4 million.

“I’ll be doing my very best to work as hard as I can to try and bring as much success as possible to Celtic. It’s a great honor to join the club and I hope to play an important part in the club’s future over the next few years,” Hinkel said.

Brazilian defender Coelho has also arrived in Scotland to begin a trial period with the Bhoys.

Dundee United captain Barry Robson has also been linked with a move to Celtic.

Soccer Shorts

OLDHAM boss John Sheridan, the former Irish midfielder, described Saturday’s shock FA Cup win over Everton as the greatest moment of his fledgling management career. “I’ve only been a manager for about a year and a half. So this is pretty special for me,” he said . . .

READING boss Steve Coppell has dismissed newspaper reports that Chelsea could bid for his Irish striker Kevin Doyle. “I’ve not actually seen that one. But I presume it was next to a story about the Martians landing,” said Coppell . . .

FORMER Shelbourne league winners Alan Moore and Steve Williams are both available on free transfers after they were released by Derry City and Bray Wanderers respectively . . .

BULGARIA have made the first move for Terry Venables and have offered the former England coach their manager’s job despite strong interest in his services from the Football Association of Ireland . . .

BOHS have allowed former Celtic trainee Ryan McCann to return to Scotland and sign for Queen of the South, while Davitt Walsh has signed for Ballymena United . . .

IRISH Football Associa-tion chiefs in Belfast have rubbished the suggestions that an All-Ireland league could be up and running as early as August . . .

IRISH international striker Jason Byrne is on the verge of a return to the eircom League with Bohemians after a spell with Cardiff City . . .

WOLVES have extended the loan deals for Irish midfielder Darron Gibson and goalkeeper Graham Stack until the end of the season . . .

CLINTON Morrison wants to extend his contract at Crystal Palace when his current deal runs out later this year . . .

NIGEL Worthington is to carry on as Northern Ireland manager for the forthcoming World Cup campaign . . .

IPSWICH Town have been linked with a move for Sunderland’s Irish striker David Connolly ...
DERRY City midfielder Neil McCafferty has joined English Conference side Grays Athletic . . .

IRELAND will travel to play Norway in a friendly in Oslo next August . . .

SLIGO Rovers have signed St. Pat’s midfielder Anto Murphy.

GAA Shorts

WANTED midfielder Thomas Walsh, earmarked for a return to his native Carlow by new boss Paul Bealin, outlined his commitment to adopted Wicklow when he turned out in the O’Byrne Cup defeat to Dublin on Saturday. “Thomas is staying, but he’ll have to get fit like the rest of them,” said Wicklow boss Mick O’Dywer after his side were well beaten by the Dubs . . .

KIERAN McGeeney failed to make a winning start to his new career as Kildare football boss when his side lost to Longford in the O’Byrne Cup in Newbridge on Sunday. McGeeney admitted, “It was poor. From a spectator’s point of view, it wasn’t very fluid.” . ..

NEW Clare hurling boss Mike McNamara has denied reports that he will not consider veteran keeper Davy Fitzgerald once he recovers from a serious finger injury . . .

KEVIN Cassidy is the new Donegal football team captain, but experienced full-back Paddy Campbell has announced his retirement from the county squad . . .

JOHNNY Murphy is the new captain of the Limerick footballers, while Eoin Keating has returned to the county colors after a year abroad . . .

ALL-Ireland winner Aidan O’Rourke is fit again and available to new Armagh manager Peter McDonnell for the 2008 season . . .

NEW Carlow football boss Paul Bealin has rubbished suggestions that footballer of the year Derek Hayden could move to Laois . . .

BRILLIANT corner-forward Brian Farrell is to miss Meath’s O’Byrne Cup campaign due to a long standing groin injury . . .

LIMERICK hurling boss Richie Bennis has announced that Mark Foley will captain his side for the 2008 campaign . . .

FORMER Armagh player Benny McArdle has joined up with the Louth squad for the 2008 season.

O’Connell Returns

PAUL O’Connell handed Ireland and Munster a huge boost when he made his competitive comeback for his club Young Munsters in their AIB League win over Buccaneers on Saturday after months out with a back injury.

O’Connell said, “It is great to be back. We got the win and I came out of it injury free. It was a great day and very enjoyable even if I only played for 35 minutes or so. ‘

“I probably didn’t do much, it was all about getting through the game injury free. The back came through it fine.”

In other rugby news, former Leinster boss Alan Gaffney, currently with Saracens, is the favorite to be appointed as the new backs coach with Ireland according to a report in the Sunday Independent.

Golf Honor

PADRAIG Harrington was named Irish golfer of the year at the AIB/Irish Golf Writers awards in Dublin last Friday night, when Rory McIlroy was also honored as Ireland’s leading amateur in 2007.

Share this story: digg this | Add to del.icio.us

Print Save Discussions

Discuss

Email a friend