Winning start doesn’t Glaze over home truths

BEFORE I begin, may I just thank those who have occasionally sent in amusing and/or borderline-indecent proposals prompted by my photo byline? I should explain that it was taken 20 years ago and is there purely for page-symmetry’s sake; the 40-year-old grump now addressing you looks nothing like that.

How could I, when there’s a monthly gossip column for a demanding fanzine audience to fill?

Ah yes, that reminds me: David Gill, and his boast last week about “none of the Glazer scare stories coming true”. Since the scare stories consisted of predicting a) a hefty rise in ticket prices, b) no increase in the transfer budget and c) the ground being at risk, I think we can point out that a) and b) have indeed come true, with c) waiting in the wings, I confidently predict.

Then again, some optimists would pipe up now and say: “So what? Top of the league, unbeaten, goals flowing home — who needs transfers?” Hmm. Were the three teams we have beaten title contenders I would be tempted to join that chorus, but I think we’ll just hang fire a bit yet, eh? We are going to get a much better indicator very shortly, when we face Spurs, Arsenal and Celtic inside a week.

You may be surprised that I include Celtic there, given the hiding our second string gave them a few weeks ago, but I am assuming the feverish atmosphere created in the forthcoming tie will inspire something memorable from the Hoops.

Yes, it is an easy group draw for United (just as it was last year, oops) but the way Reds are automatically dishing themselves the six points from the Celtic games has alarmed me.

The draw also reminded me of my wish expressed here last season that we would draw each other and thus give Keano a chance to prove several points to Fergie. Sadly he isn’t going to get that opportunity now and instead we will have to wait for a Sunderland cup draw or promotion. As a Manc with Mackem grandparents who lived on Roker Park Road and writes for a Cork-based paper, the stunning appointment of Keano should be one of the ultimate stories but I can’t help feeling disappointed in Roy somehow.

Why? Because his boss will be the same Niall Quinn who excoriated Keano for his infamous MUTV tape and dismissed suggestions that Roy could become a top manager. I know time heals all but c’mon: Quinn said all that just nine months ago!

It does set up an intriguing ex-player pool for the Fergie succession: Bruce, Hughes, McClair, Robson and now Keane played in the same team and must be potential candidates.

You have to say, for all Fergie’s faults, there is something to be said — although I know not quite what — about a boss who can seemingly inspire (or impel?) most of his greatest team into topflight management.

* Richard Kurt is author of ‘The Red Army Years’