Keano to blame for demolition derby

I SPENT most of last week listen-ing to an assortment of Sunder-land players tell the press how much the game meant to them. I even watched Roy Keane stress that the players knew exactly what was at stake. But at Newcastle on Sunday afternoon, I felt cheated.

Despite watching us concede seven goals at Everton, take a beating in the Carling Cup at Luton and struggle to get a shot on goal at Derby, our pitiful showing against Newcastle is the lowest I’ve felt all season.

All around me were supporters humiliated at us saving our worst performance of the year for our biggest tie.

I’d spent most of the weekend trying to take my mind off the Sunday fixture, taking in a bit of shopping on Saturday, only to be asked by bakers, butchers and shoe shop assistants what my pre-match predictions were. My phone was a flurry of anti-Newcastle jokes until the wee small hours of Saturday night and by the time it died down at 4am and I drifted off to sleep, but I soon woke with a start.

A nightmare suddenly crept into my head involving Jonny Evans getting injured and being replaced by Gary Breen. Surely Roy Keane wouldn’t be daft enough to throw an accident-prone centre half into the most important game of our season. Would he? With only a couple of hours sleep, by 9am on Sunday I was in the pub for a liquid breakfast, along with most of Wearside.

Women were dressed to the nines, ready to make a day of it. Sunday morning becomes the new Saturday night on derby day.

After making the 14-mile trip to Newcastle, then traipsing up the 2,000 steps to the away end at St James’, my nightmare came as good as true. Evans had been injured and was to be replaced by a hapless defender in the shape of Danny Higginbotham. Worse was to come, though; Phil Bardsley was also unfit and Paul McShane took his place in a 4-5-1 line up, the formation that has seen us pick up so little away from home.

Within three minutes McShane as good as packed his bags as far as his Sunderland career goes. Michael Owen netted and the marking from our makeshift right-back was so poor that he should have been replaced immediately. Despite huffing and puffing through the first half, we couldn’t make an impression.

On the stroke of half time, Higginbotham’s arm made minimal contact with the ball, but as with every 50/50 refereeing decision this season, it went against us and the penalty was awarded. More baffling, perhaps, was the fact that as the ball fell to Owen from Higginbotham’s arm only a couple of yards out, he chose to run towards the referee appealing for the penalty rather than slotting the ball home just to be safe.

Despite Roy switching to 4-4-2 at half time, it was already too little too late. Managers have been sacked just for dropping the wrong players in Newcastle-Sunderland games; Kevin Keegan would have been crucified if he let a two-goal lead slip.

Although there were several inadequate individual performances, the blame for our poor showing must lie with Royston Keane. How a man famed for passionate, driven performances is unable to motivate 11 players is beyond me. It would be easy to understand if this was an end of season mid-table match, but victory in this game would secure our survival.

We now face a wait until Middlesbrough at the weekend before we can have another go at getting the three points we need. If we fail against Gareth Southgate’s side, it’ll be a nervy trip to Bolton.

For now, though, Wearside is hurting. I’m not so sure that applies to the players. Our assortment of millionaires will drive to training this week in their flash cars from their plush houses containing glamorous women.

For the fans, we have to go to work and take stick from friends and colleagues, defending the indefensible. The gaffer has spoken about learning his lessons this season. He didn’t show that against the barcodes. It’s time to start walking the walk instead of talking the talk, Keano.

* Martyn McFadden www.a-love-supreme.com