MORE FROM KEANE
Last updated : 25 April 2003 By Editor
Keano feels this exit from the Champions League more than he
did when Leverkusen beat us last May:
“I probably feel worse this time. Every year you think you
have a good chance of winning the competition but the
seasons keep going by and we don't do it. Football is all
about winning and losing is something I find hard to accept.
Last night's game was probably enjoyable for the fans but
that's a small consolation.
“I have said many times before that getting to the quarter-
finals is one thing. Once you are there you have to get over
the final hurdle and we don't seem able to do it. I'm not
sure why we are not consistently getting beyond this stage.
Maybe it's just that we are not good enough.”
Looking at the actual match, Keane felt that we could have
done more to keep Madrid out:
“You can admire the third but the first two were very
disappointing. When you concede goals like that against the
best footballers in the world, it is very difficult to come
back. It's easy to say they have bought all these players
but plenty of clubs have done that and not achieved
anything. Without doubt they are the benchmark of Europe and
we have lost to a fantastic team.”
However Keane will not dwell on the disappointment and is
focused on winning the league:
“There is no point feeling sorry for ourselves though, we
still have a lot of people to satisfy. We have had set-backs
before, it is how you recover from them. If life was all
highs it would be fantastic but everyone has lows as well
and this is a big one. As professional players we have been
down this road before and we have to bounce back. We will be
fully focused on beating Tottenham and there is no doubt in
my mind that we can win. If I said anything less I wouldn't
be here.”
