Tweet
Originally posted by brightonr
View Post
I agree Will Keane has been awful for us so far.
Rather than just slate him though, I've borrowed a couple of paragraphs from Clive Whittingham's match preview, which just about sums up why he shouldn't be anywhere close to starting for us.
Keane was an easy scapegoat at Brighton on Tuesday night because Rangers dominated the match, and the possession, and looked a far better side than Albion going forwards and yet when the reached the penalty box they often had to shoot from long range. They lacked that presence that Austin, and Doyle to be fair, can provide. That experience, that nastiness, that determination, that needle factor that means no defender gets an easy ride even when they’re first to the ball and clearing comfortably, was missing.
Of course it was. First and foremost Keane is not a lone striker. Playing him there and yelling at the poor results is like sticking a camel into the Gold Cup and whipping it until it bleeds. Secondly, while I’ve been pulled up for calling him a “kid” given that he’s 21 and a whole clutch of players like Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Wayne Rooney, etc, ect, etc, have clocked up three figures in professional appearances by the time they get to that age, Keane is indeed a “kid” in football terms. He has so far played just ten senior matches for QPR, Man Utd and Wigan in his entire life, and you can throw in nine months spent recovering from an ACL injury last season into that equation as well.
This is the problem with the Premier League academy system. I don't know Keane's background but I suspect he's been in the Manchester United set up since he was about 10/11/12 years old. He's been playing alongside all the other outstanding boys his own age. He's been training in top notch facilities. He's been playing matches against all the other outstanding boys from all the other Premier League academies on all the other manicured training pitches. Because these Premier League teams at the top end very rarely move anybody from their academy to their first team - why pick Tom Carroll when you can spend £30m on Erik Lamela? - you just have all these kids growing old in academies never playing any actual football. On Tuesday Keane was sent out, on his own, against Matthew Upson, who whatever anybody says can still play in a dinner jacket at this level, fed poor service and then criticised for not leading the line correctly.
Given the options, I’d stick with him. Well, no, actually, I’d pick Tom Hitchcock, because even though I strongly suspect he’s nowhere near good enough, I’d rather see QPR giving their own a run so we can make informed decisions – what, exactly, are we going to base decisions about contract renewals for Michael Doughty, Max Ehmer, Michael Harriman etc on? – about them and perhaps even, wonders never cease, develop them into first team players than do all of that for Manchester United players. But, as we seem determined not to do that, and seeing as the only alternative at the moment would seem to be Mobido chuffing Maiga, and because I believe Rangers are currently suffering just as much from chopping and changing personnel and systems as they are from losing key players to injury, I’d pick Keane again, and again, and again until Doyle or Austin is fit.
Now if that doesn't demonstrate all that is wrong with our management structure, then I don't know what will.
Rather than just slate him though, I've borrowed a couple of paragraphs from Clive Whittingham's match preview, which just about sums up why he shouldn't be anywhere close to starting for us.
Keane was an easy scapegoat at Brighton on Tuesday night because Rangers dominated the match, and the possession, and looked a far better side than Albion going forwards and yet when the reached the penalty box they often had to shoot from long range. They lacked that presence that Austin, and Doyle to be fair, can provide. That experience, that nastiness, that determination, that needle factor that means no defender gets an easy ride even when they’re first to the ball and clearing comfortably, was missing.
Of course it was. First and foremost Keane is not a lone striker. Playing him there and yelling at the poor results is like sticking a camel into the Gold Cup and whipping it until it bleeds. Secondly, while I’ve been pulled up for calling him a “kid” given that he’s 21 and a whole clutch of players like Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Wayne Rooney, etc, ect, etc, have clocked up three figures in professional appearances by the time they get to that age, Keane is indeed a “kid” in football terms. He has so far played just ten senior matches for QPR, Man Utd and Wigan in his entire life, and you can throw in nine months spent recovering from an ACL injury last season into that equation as well.
This is the problem with the Premier League academy system. I don't know Keane's background but I suspect he's been in the Manchester United set up since he was about 10/11/12 years old. He's been playing alongside all the other outstanding boys his own age. He's been training in top notch facilities. He's been playing matches against all the other outstanding boys from all the other Premier League academies on all the other manicured training pitches. Because these Premier League teams at the top end very rarely move anybody from their academy to their first team - why pick Tom Carroll when you can spend £30m on Erik Lamela? - you just have all these kids growing old in academies never playing any actual football. On Tuesday Keane was sent out, on his own, against Matthew Upson, who whatever anybody says can still play in a dinner jacket at this level, fed poor service and then criticised for not leading the line correctly.
Given the options, I’d stick with him. Well, no, actually, I’d pick Tom Hitchcock, because even though I strongly suspect he’s nowhere near good enough, I’d rather see QPR giving their own a run so we can make informed decisions – what, exactly, are we going to base decisions about contract renewals for Michael Doughty, Max Ehmer, Michael Harriman etc on? – about them and perhaps even, wonders never cease, develop them into first team players than do all of that for Manchester United players. But, as we seem determined not to do that, and seeing as the only alternative at the moment would seem to be Mobido chuffing Maiga, and because I believe Rangers are currently suffering just as much from chopping and changing personnel and systems as they are from losing key players to injury, I’d pick Keane again, and again, and again until Doyle or Austin is fit.
Now if that doesn't demonstrate all that is wrong with our management structure, then I don't know what will.
SIR LESLIE FERDINAND!!
Comment