Roy Keane Wants to Kung-Fu Kick You in the Face

By: Daryl | December 22nd, 2007

Roy Keane will kick you in the face Sol Campbell’s campaign to stop football fans shouting mean things at footballers (particularly big central defenders who left one North London club for another North London club in exchange for wheelbarrows of money) is gathering steam, with two Premiership managers responding in their own individual way. Arsene Wenger offers this reasoned argument: “At the moment, what is happening is that if you, or anybody, gives abuse back to anybody in the stand, then you are charged and you are punished,” he said. “But you can get plenty of abuse from the crowd that is not punished. And you cannot say that is justice.”

Roy Keane favours a slightly more pro-active fashion. “I don’t think I’ve ever reacted to a crowd but I think you should be allowed to give a little back,” said the Sunderland boss. “I wanted to do an Eric Cantona loads of times. I wanted to do it everywhere.”

For those too young (or too old) to remember, Cantona had enough of listening to one particular Crystal Palace fan’s abuse in 1995, so unleashed a kung-fu kick on the unsuspecting fool. Like everything else in the world, it’s available in YouTube format:

Cantona got in loads of trouble of course, serving a nine month ban from all football. And it’s impossible to condone such behaviour because if players could kick fans in the face anytime they wanted then we’d all stop going to football to avoid facial scarring. But as a one-off, this was fantastic. Mostly because the guy could never, ever have suspected what was coming.

But now you’ve been warned by Roy Keane. Sunderland may not be the most attractive team in the Premiership this year, but you better watch what you say about them. Because I imagine a kick in the face from Keane would hurt a lot more than one from Cantona.

Some Related Stories:

Category: English Premier League, World Football

« Sven-Göran Eriksson and Lawrie Sanchez: A Tale of Two Bosses | Home | QPR are Now the Richest Club in the World, Sort Of »

The Offside RSS Feeds

Daryl

It was fantastic in the literal sense, a fantasy that players (like Roy Keane) must have when they get abuse from fans. Simmons genuinely seemed to think he was immune to any reaction from Cantona, and he was wrong. I'm not condoning it because Cantona could have seriously hurt the guy, but it destroyed the idea that there's an invisible protective wall between fans and players that allows fans to say whatever they like.
timbo

What was fantastic about Cantona's actions that night Daryl?
Ak

You missed a golden opportunity to show Cantona's press conference "explaining" his actions: the stuff of legends.
Brad

Matthew Simmons got up from his seat, ran over to where Cantona was walking off, yelled "Fuck off to France, you French motherfucker!", then threw something at Cantona, according to Cantona, who I think has to be believed because Simmons consistently lies about what happened.

At the moment, there are few or no limits on fan behavior. Condoning such behavior might have two consequences. First, the players may not be able to play up to their best. Witness Figo and Le Saux. Second, some fans, if the clubs sanction the behavior, will leave in disgust.