Tired excuse, Roy, more a failure to prepare

FAIL to prepare, prepare to fail has been one of Roy Keane’s favourite mantras throughout his football career.

It’s why he’s changed everything at the Stadium of Light from the pitch dimensions to the colour of the skirting boards in the players’ tunnel.

So I was bemused to hear the following from the gaffer after our defeat at home to Liverpool, then: “We were tiring in the last 10 or 15 minutes, which I take responsibility for, because maybe we should have had one or two more tougher games in pre-season.”