Keane adopts softer approach to FA Cup

Roy Keane made his feelings on the FA Cup quite plain in his controversial autobiography - but it seems his feelings have softened.

“The FA Cup had lost its relevance, certainly for me. Sure, it was a day out for our families, and everybody who worked hard behind the scenes at the club.

“The Wembley myth, the folklore attached to the walk out of the tunnel, the red carpet, meeting the big shots, going up to the Royal Box to receive your medal, a pat on the back from the great and the good (and hopefully the Cup), all of it was bollocks.”

Given Keane claimed in a Football Association hearing that his book was a rough transcript of a series of conversations used with ‘artistic licence’, it is not certain he is quite so dismissive of the world’s most famous domestic cup competition.

Certainly, as he danced round Villa Park in delight at securing a final appearance at Arsenal’s expense on April 3, the indications were that Keane’s stance had softened somewhat.

In fairness, it is easy to get carried away in the jubilation of the moment and, after giving himself a bit of time to think about it, the Manchester United has opted for a diplomatic route.

“It is up to others to judge whether winning the FA Cup constitutes a successful season or not,” he said.

“At the start of every season, our priorities are the European Cup and the Premiership and we came up short in both competitions.

“The players and the manager are this club’s biggest critics and we have all be disappointed with our performances this year.

“What we have done is give ourselves a chance to win something and I am certainly not writing off the FA Cup. I still think it is a fantastic competition.”

Keane lifted the Cup as United skipper in 1999 following the 2-0 win over Newcastle, the second part of the famous Treble.

The truth is, the FA Cup does not matter, but only if you are winning the Premiership or the Champions League. If you are not achieving one of those two aims – and the current United side fall into that category – then the FA Cup matters, a lot.

“We are in this business to win football matches and what that victory over Arsenal did was show some of the younger lads and one or two of the foreign players what it meant to be challenging for trophies,” said Keane.

“It was a great boost for everyone but we can’t get too carried away because we still have to go to the Millennium Stadium and win it. We would be showing immense disrespect to Millwall if we were to assume that is what will happen.”

If Keane has anything to do with it of course, Manchester United winning the cup is precisely what will happen.

At 32, he is suffering the frustrations of having a body that can no longer do what his mind is telling it.

Even his return to the Republic of Ireland fold coincided with a three-week stint on the injury list nursing a hamstring strain.

But what has not been lost is the insatiable drive, the hunger for success and the demand that his team-mates, young and old, aspire to the same high standards that made him one of the finest players of his generation.

“People say there is nothing worse than losing a semi-final, well I think there is,” he said with a wry smile. “You can lose a final.

“I have lost two in my career – with Nottingham Forest in 1991 and United four years later – and I don’t want to experience it again.”