Keane is back

As Vieira threatened to scamper away from Roy Keane yesterday, you sensed there was something in the United captain telling him that he had to prove to himself that he still has what it takes to dominate a midfield at the highest level.

Keane got his head down, charged back at the Arsenal man and caught him up before putting in an immaculate challenge to win the ball. On his 32nd birthday, and after a season last year in which he hadn't quite looked himself, it was ample evidence that the Irishman is back and raring to go for the new season.

"When you're younger people tell you to make the most of your career because it all happens so fast," says the man who first made his breakthrough under the great Brian Clough following a move to Nottingham Forest from Cobh Ramblers.

"To be honest, it's frightening how quickly the years go by but it only makes you more hungry. I'm probably hungrier for success now than I've ever been."

Perhaps it's Keane's awareness of the preciousness of his career that has brought about a greater matutrity in his game.

"With the players that we've got in the team now I try and play with a little more discipline. It's a slightly more measured approach," he agrees.

But there's bad news for the other central midfielders in the country - Roy has no immediate intentions to drop back to a deeper, defensive role.

"People have talked about me playing at the back but that's not something I'm aiming towards at the moment," he reveals.

"The midfield is where all the action is and that's where I want to be. Obviously it's up to the manager as to who he plays but I certainly still feel that I can do a job there."

Roy Keane

Nationality: Irish
Place of Birth: Cork, Ireland
Date of Birth: 10 August 1971
Height: 5' 11''
Weight: 11 10
Club: Manchester United
Position: Midfielder

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