BBC - BBC Sport: Paul Fletcher: Tough times for Keane

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Tough times for Keane

In the aftermath of Ipswich's 4-0 home defeat on Saturday a journalist started to ask manager Roy Keane a question about the importance of the forthcoming games against Sheffield United and Barnsley.

Keane cut him off with the line: "You're going to tell me something I don't know?"

Make no mistake, the Irishman is under no illusions about his current predicament.

Ipswich have yet to win a Championship fixture this season and have made the worst start to a league campaign in their history. They sit 23rd in the Championship.

Keane was booed from the field at both half-time and full-time while the Newcastle supporters amused themselves with chants about his possible imminent demise (this involved briefly breaking off from venting their spleen about Mike Ashley).

I'm not quite sure what I expected from Keane in the aftermath of his side's atrocious performance, in which abysmal defending at one end was rivalled only by the lack of bite at the other. Newcastle keeper Steve Harper made one save all afternoon - and a comfortable one at that - while the Magpies were generously afforded one free header after another.

In the middle of the park the likes of Jack Colback and Grant Leadbitter had no answer to the streetwise savvy and experience of Nicky Butt and Alan Smith - a point Keane was quick to make.

The Town boss was honest and forthright. You wouldn't expect anything else from Keane, but if he was inwardly seething then he successfully disguised his emotions.

Asked about the reaction of the crowd the Irishman defended their right to vent their fury. "They pay their money and are entitled to their opinions," he said.

Keane has been around the block and despite arousing interest from the assembled journalists by ...

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/09/tough_times_for_keane.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/09/tough_times_for_keane.html