Keane extols the virtues of divine inspiration

ROY KEANE has admitted that attending mass is a blessed release from the rigours of football management.

The former Republic of Ireland captain, who today reaches the milestone of 100 games as Sunderland manager when his side host Bolton, insists the criticism he makes of himself is “a thousand’’ times worse than he receives from anyone else.

Keane confesses that he struggles to switch off from the game — he tried golf as a form of relaxation, but found it didn’t suit him.

He said: “Defeats upset you and if they don’t, you shouldn’t be in sport. When I was a player, I would switch off by going out socialising. Different managers have different ways. After the match, a glass of wine; some like horse racing, others like going to games all over Europe, but that doesn’t appeal to me. I’ve tried golf, but I didn’t like it. I like watching it, but I don’t like playing it.

“Maybe I should try opera or the arts or wine-tasting ... fishing. Taking the kids to the pictures is still a good switch-off for me.

“I walk the dogs and I always go to mass, of course you do, and say, ‘Come on, give us that result’, and put an extra 20 quid in the tray. You go to mass when you win to thank Him, and you go to mass when you lose to say, ‘Come on, help us out’.

“You do ask yourself why you’re doing the job. You just know there’s another game coming and another challenge. I also appreciate how lucky I am to be manager of Sunderland.

“The day might come when I go, ‘Maybe it’s not for me’. It’s always been from one extreme to the other with me — I’ve never had a balance on anything in my bloody life. That’s where the problem lies.”

Keane, who took charge of Sunderland in August 2006, is out of contract next summer and is still yet to agree a new deal. He admits it has been “tough’’ on Wearside, but stressed: “Nobody said it was going to be easy, a hundred games.

“You look at other managers who have had 1,200-1,300 games. I’m 37, in my first job, and it’s been tough, but I didn’t think for one moment it would easy.

“I don’t want to look at the next hundred games. The next hundred games is two-and-a-half years’ time. I’m looking at this spell that I have on my contract here.

“I’ve been a manager two minutes. I would always consider the mistakes I’ve made. We were delighted with the first year with promotion, last year we had setbacks getting three or four big injuries, and this year we want to improve on last season.

“I guarantee what I will continue to do is constantly look at the mistakes I’ve made. I did that as a player and I do it as a manager. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t think, ‘Oh, I got that wrong.’ Whatever the punters might have thought last weekend when we lost to West Ham, or the players or the media, multiply that by a thousand in my head.

“I’ve always been like that and maybe that’s why I will be a manager a short time. It’s maybe held me back in certain parts of my playing career, being over-critical of myself.

“When it’s affecting your sleep and your appetite, it does have a knock-on effect — particularly bad results. It’s (a torment) in the head. But I would be worried if I was as cool as a breeze after a defeat. If you ever see me lose a game and walk out afterwards whistling with a spring in my step, then be very, very concerned for me.

“We’ve lost a hell of a lot of games — far too many — and I can go through most of them with you. I signed a three-year deal and if we can’t finish mid-table at least, which the players are capable of doing, then I’m not doing my job and I deserve to be criticised.

“I have great hope for the future of the club with the young players coming through from the academy, but obviously I’m judged a lot on what the first team do.

“The day I wake up in the morning and think I really can’t improve on where we are, that’s the time to get out. You have to believe you can improve all the time. I can be as impatient as the next man.

“You look at it as a school report and I guarantee mine would say, ‘Could do better’.’’

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn this week insisted the club must trim their “top-heavy’’ squad in the January transfer window — and Keane agrees. He said: “The only activity here in January will be players going out. I don’t envisage any players coming to the club, though we still have the option of a loan deal.

“I have no excuses in terms of the quality and size of my squad. We have a lot of players on our books — a hell of a lot of midfielders. I’m not daft.

“I don’t feel I’m under any sort of pressure from board level, but that’s just my own thoughts. You can have too many players at your club. I’m not beating myself up, but I think the mistake I’ve made as a manager is maybe bringing too many players to the club and we need to balance the books. There are three or four players who need to go and get games.

“There have been over a hundred transactions and that is a lot, even for a club trying to get to the next level. Why? I’ve been desperate to get to the next level.

“I’ve left good players behind over the last few weeks. Liam Miller hasn’t played much, Yorkie (Dwight Yorke) has been left out lately, (Pascal) Chimbonda. I think the players ahead of them are just doing enough. We have 10 or 11 players out on loan and you just have to try to move these players on.”

MEANWHILE, Keane seemingly remains to be convinced about the merits of Ireland outcast Andy Reid.

The midfielder was Sunderland’s most influential player in Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat by West Ham — their fifth loss in their last six League and Cup games — but was taken off with over 20 minutes left.

It was suggested yesterday that Reid excited the home crowd when he got on the ball but Keane, who signed him in January from Charlton for £4m, was mischievous in his retort.

“You made the point ‘when you get on the ball’ — a lot of times you don’t get on the ball. Trust me, if you give me time on the ball tomorrow, I could play — easy. If you drop off me five or 10 yards, I’ll hurt you – with the ball I mean!”