For Once Roy Was Wrong...

From the outset, let me say that I'm an unrepentant fan of one Roy Maurice Keane. The man was one of the best all-round midfield players I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing, and the fact that he's a month younger than me and a fellow Irishman (albeit he's from the far South and I the far North) only made me admire his drive, will-to-win and his many achievements all the more.

What's more, Roy usually had a forthright opinion on any given topic in the world of football (his autobiography is a superbly entertaining read, particularly in these days of published 'banal nonsense' from players who have yet to achieve anything of note in the game...) and I very, very rarely found myself disagreeing with his views on many varied subjects.

It is therefore with a degree of surprise that I can happily declare that in my opinion Roy has been proven wrong in his voiced analysis of one particular player- Darren Fletcher.

The Edinburgh lad has certainly taken his time making his mark at Old Trafford, and many United fans would have gleefully 'sold him on' several years ago (myself included). However, such has been the stellar rise of the current Scotland captain over the past 9 months that I can honestly say that Darren would be one of the first names on my teamsheet every week. Indeed I'd be as disappointed as he would if he isn't anchoring our midfield next month against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan side in the European Cup games.

His all-action style, covering every blade of grass in his enthusiasm to 'get a foot in' or play a telling pass, has been complimented this season with a few important goals- crucial strikes against the likes of Portsmouth and Everton have assisted greatly in keeping United's momentum going in the attempt to add a third successive Premier League title to our Honours List.

So, let's hope young Fletch can keep things going in this upward trajectory. I recall the oft maligned Phil Neville occasionally putting in a fantastic midfield display during his time at Old Trafford (a game against Arsenal springs to mind), but in the end his inability to repeat such performances on a regular basis led to a premature departure to Merseyside (where he has cemented his reputation as a very worthwhile player to have around, as many Evertonians would be quick to attest to).

As for Roy, well you can't be right all of the time lad!