Keane book is a warning to Beckham: McGuire

THE controversy generated by the newspaper serialisation of Roy Keane’s autobiography will have acted as a warning shot to his Manchester United team-mate David Beckham, believes PFA deputy chief executive Mick McGuire.

The England captain yesterday landed a multi-million pound book deal of his own and has promised his legion of fans a ‘‘first real autobiography’’ disclosing details of his private life as well as the highs and lows of a roller-coaster football career.

However, with the aftershocks of Keane’s own explosive revelations still rippling through the game, McGuire is confident Beckham will not follow the Corkman’s controversial lead, which has led to threats of legal action from Manchester City and their defender Alf Inge Haaland.

‘‘I think Roy Keane’s problems have probably sent a message out,’’ said McGuire. ‘‘David Beckham has his own advisers and they are one of the top management companies. He has so much going on commercially and I am sure they will give him the protection he needs. I’m sure, in this instance, in light of what seems to be happening with Roy, they will be very mindful.’’

The publishers have promised the book, which is to be ghost written but in Beckham’s own words, will be the ‘‘publishing event of 2003’’.

Meantime, Genesis, the Scottish firm undertaking an Independent review into the FAI’s preparations for the World Cup, aim “to look at what will achieve a consistent performance” for Irish football in future years.

Alistair Grey, whose international sports management consultancy firm will work with the former Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, Maurice O’Connell, to study the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of captain Roy Keane and the preparations undertaken by the FAI, said that the process starts immediately.

However, he added that the review will not allow itself to be bogged down in the emotional turmoil surrounding the departure of the Irish skipper. “We intend to interview 50 or 60 people in the context of our review. Our brief was originally to examine the preparation immediately before the World Cup and also to look at the structure within the FAI and how the various committees interacted with McCarthy’s technical team and the support given through travel arrangements and things like that.

“We actually suggested that we should not just look at the camp as that was a bit emotive but to look at how well Ireland prepared for the World Cup and for the camp in Saipan. We wanted a more holistic review of how well Ireland addressed the prospects of qualifying and competing as well as they did,” he told newstalk106.