Keane sees the sunny side as Reid returns in style

ROY KEANE was accentuating the p-word deep in the bowels of the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

In his younger, wilder days, the Corkman would have found trying to digest an unpalatable late defeat on home soil too much to stomach, but Keane the manager is a different beast.

This might have been Sunderland’s third straight defeat, his side apparently still suffering a hangover from their Wear-Tyne derby triumph over Newcastle, but he was still at pains to stress the positives.

“We have to persevere,” Keane insisted. “It’s a big word in football. I don’t think we got our rewards, but you have to persevere.

“We didn’t take our chances. When you lose, the manager has to take responsibility and I’ll lick my own wounds and get ready for Wednesday.’’

Keane will then be pitted against another of the young breed, former Manchester United teammate Ince, whose Blackburn side are due in the Carling Cup before the teams meet again at the weekend at Ewood Park, a match which has suddenly assumed an ominous hue.

Yet Keane would not need to sport any red and white-tinted glasses to see the sunny side of Andy Reid’s return to first team action.

The former Tottenham midfielder has been shunted to the periphery in the north-east and has also found opportunities limited with Ireland under Giovanni Trapattoni, but he made a stylish return here, supplying a delicious pass for Djibril Cisse to fire Sunderland ahead early on.

Reid’s pleasure was duly doused when Nadir Belhadj belted an equaliser early in the second half and Sunderland imploded in stoppage-time, Jermain Defoe converting a penalty after El-Hadji Diouf’s rash challenge on Glen Johnson.

But, in keeping with the theme of the day, Reid preferred to err on the side of optimism.

“I was delighted to play because it has been a while. It was nice to get back and show people what I can do,” he said. “The manager doesn’t have to explain himself. He makes the decisions, like it or lump it.

“You go through tough times in football and over the last couple of months it’s been tough for me, but I’m strong enough to deal with it and a good enough footballer. I just had to wait for my chance and I feel I’ve taken it.”

For Portsmouth manager Tony Adams, this was a first and much needed victory since replacing Harry Redknapp a fortnight ago. The former Arsenal defender had been under scrutiny after losing his first two games and his relief at the final whistle was palpable.

Adams now hopes to make a case for more English-based managers in the domestic game, pledging “support’’ for his home-grown colleagues.

Indeed, he even went as far to depict himself and Keane, opposing captains in their respective days with Arsenal and Manchester United, as standard bearers in the face of foreign invaders.

“I said to Gareth Southgate that we have to prove ourselves again,” Adams said. “The best coaches I know are in their 70s, people like Dave Sexton, Don Howe, Bobby Robson and Terry Venables.

“That generation went into Europe and worked. I spent time in Holland and our reputation ain’t that great. I’m going to support Roy, Gareth, Paul Ince and Stuart Pearce, who’s doing a great job with England U-21s, and push them as much as I can.’’

REFEREE: Steve Bennett (Kent) 6: For a time it appeared he was going to do the unthinkable and keep his cards in his pocket, but he reverted to type with three cautions late in the game.

MATCH RATING: *** Sunderland failed to capitalise on first-half chances, and were then punished for their profligacy and errors in defending.