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HOW SOONETH THEY FORGET.

John J O’Connor

Friday, June 4th, 2004

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 ’twas two years ago this summer,
in a place they call Saipan,
that Ireland held a training camp,
before Korea and Japan.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 But Roy Keane who was their captain,
was already in a huff,
as he complained that all facilities,
were hardly good enough.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 He insisted on the plane,
that he be seated all alone,
and when he reached the hotel,
all he did was moan.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 The balls weren’t pumped up hard enough,
the pitch was much too dry,
and Mick McCarthy’s orders,
he started to defy.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 “You can stick your team up your Arsenal,
I don’t give a damn,”
screamed Roy at Mick McCarthy,
as he hurled toys out of his pram.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 He stormed out of the training camp,
but was persuaded to return,
but the intinerant temper of Roy Keane,
continued on to burn.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 He made the lives a misery,
for staff and players alike,
until finally Mick McCarthy,
told him to go and take a hike.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 “Pack your bags Roy and go home,
we don’t entertain no rowdies,
we’re here for Cameroon,
the Germans and the Saudi’s.”

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 It divided up a nation,
in the cities, hills and bogs,
as Keane flew home to Cheshire,
to his family, press and dogs.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 Back home to his big mansion,
with it’s pools and fancy lawns,
paid for by supporters,
who enjoy their drinks with prawns.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 It was —- the biggest story,
Irish sport had ever seen,
as half the press supported Mick,
and the other half Roy Keane.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 Some compared Roy Keane to Collins,
as a rebel for his cause,
while others cried out ‘TREASON,
just another traitor from these shores.’

13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 The World Cup went well for Ireland,
only losing out to Spain,
but the unfortunate Mick McCarthy,
was soon to end his reign.

14 Leave a comment on verse 14 0 Fast forward twenty and three months,
to the merry month of May,
and Ireland have a friendly,
against Romania to play.

15 Leave a comment on verse 15 0 The gaffer now is Brian Kerr,
a coach much underrated,
but when it comes to Cork man Keane,
he seems intimidated.

16 Leave a comment on verse 16 0 When Keano demanded his toys back,
and said, —- he’s coming back to play,
Kerr and the docile F.A.I
just let him have his way.

17 Leave a comment on verse 17 0 They wiped his bottom with their tongues,
and put his toys back in his pram,
buttered him and flattered him,
and forgot about Saipan.

18 Leave a comment on verse 18 0 The pro United press and public,
welcomed him back with open arms,
again he was a hero,
in the cities, glens and farms.

19 Leave a comment on verse 19 0 They chanted the name Keano,
every time he touched the ball,
the man who divided Ireland,
more than Fine Gael or Fianna Fail.

20 Leave a comment on verse 20 0 He’ll play in no more friendlies,
he’ll be injured you can bet,
but like all fickle football fans,
HOW SOONETH THEY FORGET !!!

© John J O’Connor June 6 2004

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/how-sooneth-they-forget/