Keane hails Kenwyne impact

[FireBrand]

Keane hails Kenwyne impact
By: Graeme Anderson (Sunderland Echo).

Roy Keane says even he is surprised at how quickly Kenwyne Jones has made himself such an important player for Sunderland.
The striker has become the spearhead of the Black Cats' attacking threat since his £6million transfer from Southampton back in August.
The club's five-goal top scorer is also the focus for the majority of the Wearsiders' attacking moves and Keane says his only worry is that too much might be asked of the 23-year-old, who has struggled with a knee injury this month.
When Jones made an immediate impact at Sunderland, with four goals in his first seven appearances, there was talk of one of the division's top clubs coming in for him in the January transfer window.
But while Keane shares the belief that Jones is among the best young forwards around, he has no intention of parting with a player who he hopes to guide to the top at Sunderland.
He told the Football Echo: "I read all this speculation about different strikers in the paper, but there's no doubt in my mind that we have the best striker in the league at the moment.
"He's played up front by himself in a lot of games away from home and the workload he gets through is unbelievable.
"He has a big, big responsibility for a young player in probably the hardest position on the pitch – centre-forward.
"The shift he puts in every game is terrific and maybe we've put a lot of weight on his young shoulders.
"It can just catch up with players and these little niggles then seem a lot worse."
Jones is a player who will benefit more than most from the fact Sunderland don't have a game this weekend.
The extra few days off before Sunderland's critical game against Birmingham City on Tuesday can only help him recover from niggles and strains.
Keane said: "He had a knock to the back of the knee, but sometimes I just think it's the workload we've asked of him, which can't help his situation.
"If any player is deserving of any sort of rest then it's Kenwyne.
"He has quickly become a very important player for us."
Sunderland will go into the game in confident mood – after successive home wins against Bolton and Portsmouth.
Indeed, but for the controversial chalking off of Danny Collins' last-gasp "goal" against Aston Villa in mid-December, Sunderland would have won four of their last five at the Stadium of Light, with Derby having been beaten on December 1.
Only Manchester United, on Boxing Day, have emerged triumphant on Wearside since September,

[grskywalker]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

[freakazoid]

Kenwyne is we boy, yes but i am getting a bit tired of these statements. Keane over doing ah good thing man.steupss

[FF]

Kenwyne is we boy, yes but i am getting a bit tired of these statements. Keane over doing ah good thing man.steupss

I feel that is Keane stock answer for everything yes..

Reporter: Roy, after that loss to Tottenham, how are you going about avoiding relegation, are you going to change tactics?

Keane: Great question... Kenwyne is the best player in the world right now. Right now it have nobody better than Kenwyne Jones. People laugh when I pay 6 million pounds for him. They say I is a madman. Well the man is ah beast out dey. Kenwyne Jones is great. If Crouch worth 10 million, KJ worth 100 Billion...

Reporter: Roy, what about the tactics and relegation?

Keane: KJ is de Boss. Thank you.

[Dinner Mints]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

They win two of their last three.

[grskywalker]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

They win two of their last three.

SSSOOOOOO WAH IS YUH POINT, THEY IN THE BOTTOM THREE AND ON COURSE FOR RELEGATION!

[trinikev]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

They win two of their last three.

SSSOOOOOO WAH IS YUH POINT, THEY IN THE BOTTOM THREE AND ON COURSE FOR RELEGATION!

I think the point is that they have started getting on with the business of winning some games

We'll see if they keep it up

[grskywalker]

This is my wish for them too, the potential is there, but they not getting it together!

[Dinner Mints]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

They win two of their last three.

SSSOOOOOO WAH IS YUH POINT, THEY IN THE BOTTOM THREE AND ON COURSE FOR RELEGATION!

They also three points away from 13th place. They not on course for anything yet.

[just cool]

I hear yuh Keano we know, we know,how much Kenwayne means to the team, enough already and start getting on with the business of winning some damn games!!!!

They win two of their last three.

SSSOOOOOO WAH IS YUH POINT, THEY IN THE BOTTOM THREE AND ON COURSE FOR RELEGATION!

They also three points away from 13th place. They not on course for anything yet.

Some men on here real dramatic oui cory, if sulun just win all their home games they good for another yr in the prem. if the man was doggin kenwin every body would've been up in alms, the man validating the youth and ppl still crying, yuh really cyar please trini's nah boy!

[Peong]

SSSOOOOOO WAH IS YUH POINT, THEY IN THE BOTTOM THREE AND ON COURSE FOR RELEGATION!

Calmaté!

Pos	Team	P	Pts
13	Middlesbrough	23	22
14	Reading	23	22
15	Bolton Wanderers	23	21
16	Birmingham City	23	20
17	Wigan Athletic	23	20
18	Sunderland	23	20
19	Fulham	23	15
20	Derby County	23	7

                               
They actually closer in pts to the 13th-placed team than they are to the 19th-placed team.
1 win and they could be in 12th spot.
The 2nd half of the season looks like real drama.

[bigwrig]

http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1227403,00.html

Keane delighted with Prica capture
Sunderland manager Roy Keane is a happy man after finding cover for striker Kenwyne Jones in new-boy Rade Prica.

 

Jones has made a major impact since his £6million move to the Stadium of Light, leading Keane to describe him as the best frontman in the Barclays Premier League.

However, the manager knows he would be sorely missed if the kind of injury misery which has befallen so many of his team-mates this season came his way, and is delighted to have recruited Sweden international Rade Prica to provide back-up.
Click Here!

The former Aalborg striker would not be a direct replacement for Jones, but Keane is confident he can make an impact and could involve him for the first time against Birmingham City on Tuesday night.

He said: "I keep mentioning the fact that he (Kenwyne) has not scored many goals, but let me tell you, he has not been getting too many chances and he has been doing a great job in terms of leading the line, assists and defensive headers as well for.

"I wouldn't say we have been fortunate because you look at the other injuries we have had. We can't exactly say we have been lucky with injuries.

his favour

"But the fact that Kenwyne has avoided any sort of injury has been a big plus for us.

"There is always that fear that a big player like that if he was to get injured, we have obviously got other attacking options, but nobody with physical presence.

"Now don't get me wrong, Prica is not 6ft 3ins, 6ft 4ins, but he is a good 6ft and more importantly, he's got a good leap on him and we felt we needed something like that if something was to happen to Kenwyne.

"But also, we believe they can play together anyway."

Prica is one of four men to have arrived at the Stadium of Light so far this month along with loan signing Jonny Evans, French youngster Jean-Yves Mvoto and Manchester United full-back Phil Bardsley.

The £2million man will be an unknown quantity to most people, and Keane believes that could work in his favour.

He said: "Hopefully that is a good thing for us that not too many people know about him.

"We have seen him once or twice and we have said we need a little bit of help with going forward in terms of physical presence.

"The fact that not too many people know too much about him, we hope will be an advantage."