egghead

Well, this man never ceases to surprise me. Any other manager you care to name, after leading a team from a relegation place to Championship success in the one season, after some shrewd business in the transfer game, and after dragging Sunderland out of the mediocrity ceated by Mick McCarthy, Roy Keane is quoted as saying that he still has "a hell of a lot to prove".

Now I am not a Sunderland fan, and I have no beef with them, in fact, I am delighted to see that Sunderland are back where they should be, playing PL football. But I strongly believe that without Keane's influence last season, Sunderland would be still playing Championship Football. Despite his success last year, he sounds hungrier than all the other managers put together.

"If you get a few extra bob and a couple more years, then you can relax too much and, if we lose the first 10 games, I know I will be back walking my dog full-time"

A lot of managers, people in the football business in general, can learn a lot from Keane's attitude towards what is first and foremost, a sport. It is characyers like Keane who still make this game a joy to watch and a priviledge to be involved in. Greed? Money? All have been thrown around the corridors of footballing power for many years, yet Keane refuses to accept his bank balance as a measure of success.

Take a bow Mr Keane, you are a refreshing difference to the everyday financial workings in modern football. Sunderland fans can, and should, feel very proud to be connected with this man.