A new take on Keanegate

[Jc18star]

With Keane and SAF both bieng pretty skilled in the art of motivation do you think that beyond the comments that were made being a form of motivation the club, the managment and Keane used this to their advantage to take some of the heat off the club it's self on the lead up to the Chelski game?

It seems like a page of of Jose's book if that is the case. Maybe the club wasn't planing on this tactic but used the opening to deflect some of the harsh stuff that has been directed at the team over the past month and more so the past week and a half before the lead up to their biggest game of the year.

I may be totally off with this viewpoint but if it is what they did it worked very well and shows that SAF can stil play the mind games with the best of them.

What's you take on this?

[dredgfan]

your theory depicts SAF and Keano and brillant, savvy, experienced veterans. I'll buy it.

[GrodZilla]

I just can't see Keano playing games...

[antifan]

Yes, a brilliant strategy from Keane and Fergie. Worked wonders in the Lille game. :rolleyes:

[GrodZilla]

Yes, a brilliant strategy from Keane and Fergie. Worked wonders in the Lille game. :rolleyes:

To be fair we where not worse in the Lille game than we where before Keanes little outburst.. And we couldn't do any worse... I'm all for Keano giving his views, as bluntly as he feels necessary. Noone wants everyone to perform to their best more than Keane.

[The Jitty Slitter]

I thought at the time that is was not impossible that SAF knew Keane would say that stuff before he did.

Why not?

[Republic of Mancunia]

With Keane and SAF both bieng pretty skilled in the art of motivation do you think that beyond the comments that were made being a form of motivation the club, the managment and Keane used this to their advantage to take some of the heat off the club it's self on the lead up to the Chelski game?

To put it simply, no.

To expand a little, the media over here was all over United this week, claiming that the "empire is crumbling" (that's how Sky Sports started their coverage yesterday) btw.

There were debates in the press and on the radio asking whether Fergie should resign or be sacked, rumours of a split within the dressing, fans splitting and either backing Keane or disagreeing with him and if anything it turned the heat up even more.

The one thing that all this did do was to create a feeling amongst most people that this would be Chelsea's day as United were made out to be in turmoil. Perhaps it took a little pressure off in that respect but with the spotlight focused firmly on Old Trafford this week and the fans (including me and most on here) getting increasingly impatient and restless I think it added to the pressure even more.

I won't rule out that out as a remote possibility but if it was designed to take the heat off the team I think was badly thought out and didn't work at all.

The media circus surrounding the club during the week, with even more attention being focused on the team since the Lille game and the fact that it was a big game may have finally given certain players the extra push they needed to find the motivation and desire shwon yesterday within themselves.

The heat was definitely on and certain individuals stood up to be counted. It's sad that they haven't been able to find such performances within themselves when the pressure wasn't so great as they should be able to motivate themselves IMO. Failing that the manager should be able to get that kind of thing out them on a week-in week-out basis and the fact that he hasn't been able to do so is also disappointing to me.

We've set a standard now though and hopefully this is a sign of things to come and perhaps we've turned over a new leaf. The football wasn't breathtaking but the passion and desire was, I hope we can keep it up.

[Jc18star]

I was implying that they tried to use Keane comments as a way to deflect attention from the team, not that he made them for that purpose in the first place.

I am glad some supporters from across the pond responded because I don't have 24 hour access to Sky just about 3 showing of Sky Sports News on Fox over here in the States, so I am no as in tune with the minute by minute coverage this has seemed to get in England with so many people after SAF scalp.