Keane U-turn
Roy Keane has decided to release Liam Miller from Sunderland
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A year ago Black Cats boss was tipping Miller to play starring role for Ireland. Yesterday, he showed him the door at Sunderland
Just 345 days after ridiculing the FAI for turning their back on Liam Miller for Ireland's Euro 2008 qualification squad, Roy Keane has performed a spectacular U-turn on his fellow Corkman, deeming him surplus to requirements at his relegation-threatened Sunderland.
Keane yesterday proved he knows no sentiment as, in the wake of the Black Cats' hapless defeat to Portsmouth last weekend, he placed Miller on his lengthening transfer list, which now includes six players he himself signed in his short spell as boss at the Stadium of Light.
Of those players, four are Irish internationals with Miller joining Graham Kavanagh, Ian Harte and David Connolly, whom he also defended when omitted from Staunton's squad.
Keane had long been an admirer of Miller, once claiming he was getting a raw deal by not being selected on the Irish squad.
"What's holding back Liam Miller is the fact that he's from Cork, without a doubt.
"If he was (from) further up the country, I'm pretty sure he would be in the Irish squad," he declared last March.
"People think I'm crazy for saying that but I'm not. That would definitely go against him but you don't know the FAI as well as I do."
Just a year later, however, and Keane may be eating his words as he looks to offload the 27-year-old, long regarded as "the next Keane."
Transfer regulations mean that the former Manchester United midfielder could only join a Football League club on an emergency loan deal before the end of the season.
However, the final statement on Sunderland's website surely indicates his time at the Stadium of Light is fast approaching an end.
"A permanent transfer is not permitted until after the season in May when the transfer window reopens," it read.
- Neil Ahern
