He sure knew how to pick them.
Roy Keane always stayed true to his convictions. He knew when he liked someone and knew when he didn’t like someone. And when it was the latter, he had no qualms letting them know about it.
That’s part of what made Keane such a fascinating football character, a modern-day Coriolanus who endlessly attracted interest and controversy.
Considering Keane’s outstanding leadership credentials, his knowledge of the game and the fact he spent 12 years working under one of the greatest managers of all time in Alex Ferguson, big things were expected when the former Manchester United made his first foray into management with Sunderland.
The Black Cats were rooted to the bottom of the Championship when Keane took over. Adrift and rudderless, much like the Sunderland of today, it seemed a thankless task, one destined to give Keane a chastening, harrowing managerial baptism of fire.
However, defying the critics, Keane transformed their fortunes. From being bottom of the table, Sunderland ended up winning the title under Keane.
Winning promotion to the Premier League: not a bad debut as a manager.
Of course, the Premier League is a gargantuan step-up and Sunderland were soon circling the drain. At the midway point of the season, Keane sought reinforcements as his side languished in the relegation zone.
He turned to his former employers at Old Trafford and came away with Jonny Evans.
The Northern Ireland international had spent time at the Stadium of Light on loan from United the season before, making 19 appearances to help lift Keane’s men to the top-flight.
His second stint proved successful too. Evans was installed as one of Keane’s first-choice centre-halves and Sunderland escaped relegation. Although the Irishman was keen to retain Evans’ services, the defender returned to United to try and establish himself under Ferguson.
But he had more than vindicated Keane’s faith in him. As it turns out, while Keane was impressed with Evans’ technical abilities, the reason he took him on at Sunderland was slightly more eccentric.
Writing in his memoir The Second Half, the former Republic of Ireland captain said:
“Jonny was a centre-half. He had the qualities of a Manchester United player, and he was bringing them to Sunderland. For such a young man – he was nineteen – he was very mature, and a born leader. Jonny was unbelievable for us. He lived with his mam and dad in Sale, near my home, so I picked him up there and brought him up to see the set-up at Sunderland.
“I knew I was on a winner; I knew him, and I knew what he was about. I remembered an incident when I was still at United; there’d been a fight in the canteen and Jonny had looked after himself well – I think he knocked the other lad out. I knew Jonny was tough.”
While Evans could offer Sunderland defensive stability, Keane seemed to have been as interested in his toughness and ability to handle himself as his skills with the ball.
It’s a pity there isn’t footage of the canteen incident because Keane isn’t easily impressed. You have to admit, it’s fairly brilliant though. Roy Keane signing Evans on the basis of knocking someone out is very, very Roy Keane.
His assessment wasn’t wide of the mark either. Evans went on to cement his place at United, making 198 appearances in total before being sold to West Brom by Louis van Gaal in 2015.
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