Keane keeps options open

The Manchester United skipper reveals that his plans for retirement next year may be shelved — by Alex Ferguson. Liam Mackey listened.

RUMOURS of Roy Keane's retirement may be premature even if they were fanned by the Manchester Utd skipper himself.

Keane revealed yesterday that not only is he determined to play for Ireland if they get to the 2006 World Cup finals, but United manager Alex Ferguson took him aside at the weekend to remind him that it was he who would decide when Roy should retire from playing for the club.

Keane now admits that he wouldn't entirely rule out extending his playing career perhaps even at Glasgow Celtic.

And, while he was full of praise for Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr, there were no love letters for the FAI even on Valentine's Day. Keane insisted that he would find it impossible to see himself working for the Association as a manager.

Almost a year ago to the day, at the same venue and in the same cause a fund-raising launch for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind Keane had spoken of "unfinished business", a statement which first signalled his desire to return to international duty. And, yesterday, the Corkman was once again suggesting that his business on the pitch might not finish quite as soon as we'd all thought.

But first he confirmed his desire to play for Ireland at the World Cup finals qualification and fitness permitting.

"I'd like to think so. I said on Friday that when I signed my contract at United I believed that would be my last playing contract. The manager pulled me aside on Saturday morning and said that he would be the one who would decide when I would retire. At this moment, I still think that still stands. Retirement is not a word I like talking about, because it's a long way away yet. If this time next year my body was holding up and the hip and the knee was okay, and Alex Ferguson felt I could still contribute to the team, then who knows?

"I've always felt that if I was to finish my career, it would have to be at the highest level. It would have to be at Manchester United. I couldn't see myself playing for another English team or going down to the first or second division."

Would the fact that he specifies not moving to an English club leave the door open for, say, Glasgow Celtic, I enquired.

"I'm glad you got that," he smiled. "You like to keep one or two doors open. I mentioned Celtic about six or seven years ago and people keep bringing it up. If you look at their team, they're doing very well. But as long as Man Utd feel I can contribute, then my first option would be to stay at old Trafford. Even if I was to go to another club, I'd have to be looking at having an element of coaching involved. And I'm not sure that would necessarily happen at United. So, again you try and keep all your options open."

Halfway through the process of securing the coaching badges that would enable him to work at the highest level, Keane has his eyes set long-term on a career in management. Would that include an ambition to manage his country?

"I couldn't possibly see myself at this moment in time working for the FAI," he said.

"But stranger things have happened. Never say never. The manager and the staff have changed, but I don't think too much has changed in the FAI. There are probably a lot of good people working in the FAI but from the people I've dealt with and from what I'm reading, it seems a lot hasn't changed regarding the changes that the Genesis Report said had to be made. It's seems to have been hit and miss."

Asked if the unhappy circumstances of his last World Cup experience have made him even more determined to get to the finals in 2006, the answer was delivered firmly but with a hint of a smile.

"My last World Cup experience would have been 1994 so that wasn't too bad."

Okay, I say, your last nearly World Cup experience, then.

"Oh, nearly, well, alright," he says to general laughter, before getting serious in a manner that makes clear he has had no second thoughts about his stance in Saipan. "I wouldn't change what happened in the past. I think a lot of people miss the point that for a manager to accuse me of faking injury in front of my team mates, I won't and still don't accept.

"But things have changed. I think the ambitions of Brian, his staff and the players are the same as mine and that's to do as well as we can. Not to go through the motions and go on these trips with a holiday attitude. But that's life. You live and learn. And if we qualify, and it's a big if, let's go with the attitude of doing as well as we can and not putting obstacles in our way. We've got a chance. I said this time last year, it's not about seeking perfection, it's about progress and there's definitely been progress in the last year or two."

Keane argues that recent rave reviews have perhaps overstated the quality of his performances in games against the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. But he did concede that practicing in which he's joined at Old Trafford by Ryan Giggs and David Bellion has been hugely beneficial. However, lest anyone think he has taken to donning saffron robes, he quickly added: "There's a couple of different type of yoga. There's a yoga where you sit and meditate it's not that yoga. It's the physical, demanding stretching yoga and I think that's definitely helped my hip."

Asked if he measures himself against such Premiership midfield enforcers as Vieira and Gerrard, Keane opted to exclude the Arsenal man with whom he recently clashed in the Highbury tunnel among his top three.

"Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard are by far the best midfielders, in terms of what they consistently bring to their teams," he says. "To me they're probably the three most outstanding mid-fielders, not just in England, but in Europe. But it's not about individuals, it's about the team the team's always first. I enjoy all my battles, you're always coming up against top players or young players like Joey Barton at Man City on Sunday young lads who want to show you what they're capable of."

Speaking of battles does he think can United catch Chelsea?

"We've played really well the last two or three months but you've got to give credit to Chelsea. We had a slow start to the season far too many draws and we're having to play catch-up now, but as long as there's an opportunity to catch them, we've got to keep going. If they're going to win the Premiership, let's try to make them win it in the last week rather than with three or four games to go. It would be nice to put a bit of pressure on them so that when they come to Old Trafford there's still a chance."

Keane paid a special compliment to his Irish colleague, Damien Duff but only after one little word of rebuke.

"I thought he was a bit dirty last week against Ronaldo but there you go," he says with a grin. "But he's had a very good season. And even though you want to win the league you wouldn't mind Damien, another Irishman, winning a medal."

Of his own continuing drive, Keane added: "In every walk of life, but in sport in particular, I think you need desire. I think I'm lucky it's in my blood. Maybe it's being from Cork, or from Mayfield, or maybe it's from my family but I've got a desire to win. I'm lacking a lot of stuff technically compared to other footballers. But desire helps me through a lot."