English FA tackles Keane with two charges

ROY KEANE will have to get his tactics spot on or will find himself sitting through one of the longest bans in English soccer history.

The former Irish skipper had been bracing himself for one Football Association charge for comments made in his controversial autobiography relating to his long-running dispute with Manchester City midfielder Alfie Haaland.

However, yesterday the FA delivered a double dose of bad news, hitting him with two charges which could eventually lead to an eight-game suspension.

Neither Manchester United nor Keane’s advisers wished to comment on yesterday’s development, but plans to contest the charges will have to be carefully considered.

Having undergone a hip operation on Tuesday, United boss Alex Ferguson revised Keane’s recovery time downwards from three months to six weeks.

Initially, the move appeared to be a masterstroke, given the timings would almost certainly coincide with any punishment the FA decided to impose.

However, Keane now has 14 days to decide his next course of action. Should he plead not guilty, it could force a delay in the case which would see him forced to spend a further lengthy period on the sidelines should the final decision go against him.

The FA have decided to act on two fronts. Firstly, they allege the horrendous challenge on Haaland was “improperly motivated”, which refers to the passage in Keane’s book which states: “I’d waited almost 180 minutes for Alfie. I’d waited long enough. I hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that.”

The second allegation relates to Keane’s publication “for financial profit or gain” of an account in his autobiography in which he “speaks of a desire out to exact revenge on Haaland”, which, in itself, brings the game into disrepute.

At the weekend, Keane caused a further furore by getting himself sent-off against Sunderland for elbowing Jason McAteer in the side of the head.

At the same time, the 31-year-old was attempting to defuse the Haaland situation, insisting he had ‘‘never deliberately set out to injure any player’’. It is believed any defence will rely on claiming that ghostwriter Eamon Dunphy had inaccurately paraphrased his comments.

It is unlikely to be met with sympathy and Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor claims Keane left himself “wide open” to FA punishment.