Keane: our young stars will make the future bright

ROY KEANE has vowed Manchester United will ‘lick their wounds’ and return stronger and more determined for their FA Cup Final heartbreak.

“We will be back,” said Keane. “Disappointments such as these should make you hungrier for success.

“We are Manchester United and we will keep on fighting. Of course we can reclaim the championship. You look at lads like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney and it gives you plenty of hope for the future.

“There are some strong characters in our dressing room, so we will lick our wounds and come back even more determined next season.”

As he stood by the touchline with Alex Ferguson discussing where it had all gone wrong, Keane looked every inch a manager in waiting.

He was honest enough to admit a chronic failure to take chances, a complaint which has afflicted United throughout the campaign and totally undermined their hopes of landing any silverware.

But Keane was also aware enough to recognise the tears of Rooney, Ronaldo and Rio Ferdinand as Patrick Vieira stroked home the fateful penalty, were sincere and had the man-management skills to console each of them individually.

“We are all upset,” he said. “Different players show their emotions in different ways and there is nothing wrong with that.

“Some of them were distraught afterwards but when those feelings have subsided, they will be better for the experience.”

Keane also spared a thought for the veteran Paul Scholes, whose failure to convert in the penalty shoot-out opened the door to Arsenal’s victory.

“It was unfortunate that Scholesy’s penalty was saved,” said the captain, “but people shouldn’t forget the number of times he has saved Man United.”

Though the end of his own magical career is now approaching, Keane’s task is to ensure by the time he does depart, the younger members of United’s squad have the experience and awareness to match their undoubted ability.

“If you want the highs, you have to experience the lows,” he said. “It is just part of life. There is not much consolation to be gained from it just now and the defeat will live with me for a long time but there is no point feeling sorry for yourself.”

When Keane and Ferguson reflect on this cup final loss, they will keep coming back, not to Scholes’ miss, but the lack of goals from a squad containing Rooney, Ronaldo, van Nistelrooy, Louis Saha and Alan Smith.

After 27 shots brought just a single goal against West Brom a fortnight ago, United missed 20 efforts yesterday. Van Nistelrooy was more culpable than Rooney, though both hit the woodwork, while Scholes should have done better with an early header.

“The hardest part of football is putting the ball into the net and we haven’t managed to do it on a consistent enough basis this season,” said Keane.