 |
|
||
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
   | 
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Beckham 'shock' at Keane departure
 Beckham in training for Real with a cut nose said Keane's exit from United was a shock. LONDON, England -- Real Madrid's David Beckham said on Friday that he was shocked by the departure of his former Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane from Old Trafford. The England captain played alongside Keane throughout his career at United and said the Irishman had been the most inspirational player he had played with. "I'm shocked that he has left because I thought he'd be there for a few more years and I thought that he'd maybe go into coaching there," said Beckham. "It's his decision of course and everyone will respect that, but people now have to look at what he's done at Manchester United. "Over his 12 years he's won everything in club football ... and he's done it by gaining respect throughout the football world from the players that he's played with and those he's played against." Beckham, who left United for Real in 2003, added: "I played with him for so many years at United and he was one of the most inspirational captains and players I've ever played with." Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger described the Irishman as the key to Manchester United's success over the last decade. Speaking after the announcement that Keane has left the club he had served since 1993, Wenger acknowledged that the midfielder had delivered some of his finest performances in matches against his own Arsenal. "I did not always agree with his commitment but as a quality player, as an influence on the side and as a brain on the pitch he was very influential in the success of Manchester United," Wenger said. "He's not the player he was but he would be the first to admit that. "He was a world-class player and he's still a top-level Premier League player but no central midfield player at 34 can be as good as he was at 24 or 26. You have to accept that." Former United and Republic of Ireland striker Frank Stapleton believes Keane's recent criticism of team-mates in an MUTV program, which was considered so strong that the show was pulled from the schedules, was the main factor in his decision to quit. "It is a reaction to what happened a few weeks ago, when he criticized his team-mates publicly, plus a combination of the fact that maybe they weren't ready to renew his contract at the end of the season," Stapleton said. "He probably said 'I'll go now rather than wait'." Another former United player, Lou Macari, told CNN that he was stunned by the news. "It's a real bolt out of the blue. I've always thought of Roy Keane as a major part of Manchester United," he said. "There is always a place for Roy Keane in the team, and it is only when the likes of Keane, Paul Scholes and the Nevilles have all gone that people will realize their value. "Trying to replace Roy Keane is almost impossible and no matter what he will say over the next few weeks and months ahead, Roy will be gutted that he is no longer a Manchester United player." 
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| © 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
