The war of words going on between Sunderland Manager, Roy Keane and FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner is intensifying. Why would people in high places act like junior grade pupils exchanging "stinker" letters. I think they should both get a grip and Roy Keane learning to respect authourity or should I say elders. Jack Warner could be old enough to be his father, calling the man a clown?! http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=571357&sec=worldcup2010&cc=5739Sunderland boss Roy Keane has fired a withering blast at FIFA vice-president Jack Warner by branding him ''a clown''.
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The FIFA vice-president has caused a stir in the past.
Warner, a special advisor to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, wrote to Keane this week to accuse him of ''insensitivity and disrespect'' after midfielder Dwight Yorke was withdrawn from the squad to face the United States in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
But the furious Irishman, who was unhappy that the letter had been leaked to the media, called him to tell him exactly what he thought, and his contempt has apparently grown during the ensuing days.
Keane, who revealed Warner has never tried to contact him about striker Kenwyne Jones, who suffered knee ligament damage playing for his country in a friendly against England in June, said: ''It's just ridiculous. This clown is writing letters through the media.
''I spoke to Yorkie, who has officially retired a number of times. He is 36, and if they are depending on a 36-year-old to get them through to the World Cup in two years,
''I spoke to the man on Wednesday myself and I told him exactly what I thought about him. He has not once called or dropped a letter about Kenwyne.
''Carlos Edwards was over and has played a couple of games for them - Carlos was selected last year when he had a broken leg.
''He is probably a small man and he has got this 'Small-Man Syndrome'. The world is against him.
''If he is writing a letter representing Trinidad, why is he putting it under FIFA? If he is vice-president - and remember, he is vice-president, he is not president yet - God help us.
''People worry about the game and agents and directors of football and managers losing their jobs - we should be worried about people like him.''
Yorke, who can also expect a rocket from his club manager, captained his country in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Guatemala in Port of Spain, but was missing when they lost 3-0 to USA in Chicago four days later.
However, Keane, who insisted he has never prevented a player from linking up with his country, was adamant he has an arrangement with his former Manchester United team-mate.
He said: ''Kenwyne got injured playing in a friendly. I don't know what deal was going on with England that time, obviously a deal for (World Cup) votes or whatever.
''Kenwyne injured his knee even though he had broken his wrist in the last game for us and I was pretty sure he wasn't available.
''Then I saw Yorkie coming on for a 20-minute cameo appearance. Yorkie is 36 bloody years of age - I'm blaming him anyway.
''He's a clown as well. You retire and then go on an ego trip,
''He has not played in the Premier League since he busted his cheekbone [in pre-season], and he goes over and he played the first game, 90 minutes.
''He couldn't play Saturday, Wednesday and then try to get involved for us on Saturday, no chance, absolutely no chance. If I had known that, he probably wouldn't have got another year's contract from me. You have got to prioritise certain things at his age.
''All my other eight or nine players who were away, no problem. They have all been selected for every friendly match - I have never, ever once spoken to one of my players about missing a game, never.
''Certain managers do - certain managers look after certain national teams, I know that. The man (Warner) is a clown.'' |
and here is Jack Warner return fire!! Warner blasts back at Keane http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=571564&sec=england&cc=5739The war of words between Roy Keane and Jack Warner has intensified with the FIFA vice-president making a personal attack on the Sunderland manager, after the Irishman had called him "a clown" amid the row over Keane's decision to withdraw Dwight Yorke from international duty.
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The Sunderland boss described Warner said: "If he is vice-president of FIFA, then God help us", and suggested he wrote letters on FIFA-headed writing paper "just to impress everybody".
Now Warner has retaliated with a new letter attacking Keane - and making a dig about his own conduct in walking out on the Republic of Ireland before the 2002 World Cup.
The letter says: "The disrespectful tone of your reported comments further demonstrates the total disrespect that you and others of your ilk have generally for players and officials from 'small' countries.
"It is obviously difficult for you to accept the fact that someone from a 'small' country could rise to become a vice-president of FIFA.
"I chose to respond on a FIFA letter-head because that is a privilege afforded me owing to my said status and the fact that your callousness showed utter disregard for FIFA's regulations re the release of players for international duty. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, you did not grasp the message.
"In closing may I remind you that a player's greatest honour is to represent his country in spite of the fact that you chose to walk away from yours during the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup after publicly abusing your manager, indictment that you will no doubt be proud of up to today. Poor Sunderland." |
